▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Monte val lo ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁the ▁Fall ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁The ▁observ atory ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁former ▁construction ▁land fill , ▁now ▁re made ▁into ▁G entry ▁Spr ings ▁field . ▁The ▁observ atory ▁is ▁a ▁U ▁of ▁M ▁sust ain ability ▁land mark . ▁ ▁The ▁observ atory ▁is ▁located ▁roughly ▁three ▁miles ▁from ▁the ▁main ▁campus ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 5 0 - acre ▁G entry ▁Spr ings ▁site ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁university . ▁The ▁J W SO ▁is ▁capable ▁of ▁astronom ical ▁teles cop ic ▁observation ▁and ▁ast roph ot ography , ▁has ▁a ▁dedicated ▁teles cope ▁for ▁solar ▁view ing , ▁and ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁very ▁few ▁observ ator ies ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁that ▁is ▁designed ▁specifically ▁to ▁be ▁completely ▁accessible ▁to ▁people ▁of ▁all ▁dis abilities . ▁ ▁Besides ▁its ▁obser ving ▁capabilities , ▁the ▁J W SO ▁will ▁be ▁a ▁green ▁facility , ▁employ ing ▁self - comp ost ing ▁to ile ts , ▁filtered ▁rain water ▁and ▁solar - generated ▁electric ity . ▁The ▁facility ▁is ▁currently ▁used ▁by ▁U M ▁classes , ▁the ▁Monte val lo ▁Astronom ical ▁Society , ▁AM ST I ▁partners ▁and ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁area ▁K - 1 2 ▁classes ▁and ▁other ▁local ▁groups . ▁There ▁are ▁also ▁regularly - sch eduled ▁public ▁view ing ▁night s ▁that ▁are ▁free ▁of ▁charge . ▁ ▁Upon ▁completion , ▁the ▁obser ving ▁complex ▁will ▁house ▁an ▁out door ▁planet arium /