The Green Bank Observatory offers overnight badge weekends for Girl Scouts and Scouts BSA. Scouts groups are hosted for overnight trips ONLY during scheduled scout badge weekends.
All educational activities are free for these weekends, but there are some costs if you’d like to stay overnight or purchase meals while here. In addition, there is a $5 per scout materials fee for the Scouts BSA Electronics badge.
If you have any questions not answered here, feel free to email us at gro.y1747999092rotav1747999092resbo1747999092bg@sn1747999092oitav1747999092reser1747999092.
Frequently Asked Questions
Girl Scouts: Juniors, Cadettes, and Seniors can earn their respective Space Science badges during the overnight. Younger scouts are welcome to do a day trip the Friday before or the Sunday of the Girl Scout Badge Weekend to earn their Space Science badge.
Scouts BSA: All Scouts BSA, Venture Scouts, and Sea Scouts 10 years or older can earn either the Astronomy or Electronics badges (depending on the weekend).
Scouts may reserve spots in scout merit badge weekends on an individual basis or a troop may reserve multiple spots.
Girl Scouts:
Scouts BSA:
We host scout merit badge weekends for overnight trips on scheduled weekends only, our dates are listed below. Activities start at 9:00 am on Saturday and continue all day until 5:00 PM. We resume at 9:00 am on Sunday and finish between 11:00 am and 12:00 noon. If your troop is based a good distance from the Observatory, we recommend arriving Friday night.
2025 merit badge weekend dates:
1/31 – 2/2: BSA AstronomyFULL2/28 – 3/2: BSA AstronomyFULL3/14 – 3/16: BSA ElectronicsFULL- 4/25 – 4/27: Girl Scouts
9/19 – 9/21: BSA AstronomyFULL10/17 – 10/19: BSA AstronomyFULL- 11/21 – 11/23: Girl Scouts
12/12 – 12/14: BSA ElectronicsFULL
Below are example schedules of various scout merit badge weekends. We will plan programming to satisfy all badge requirements for the respective badge and provide all materials. Scheduling of activities is dependent on the number of scouts participating, staffing, and the scouts levels (in the case of Girl Scouts, who have different requirements depending on scout level)
Scout troops have two options for staying onsite: the bunkhouse and the campground. If you’re interested in staying onsite, make sure to select “Overnight Accommodations” in your GBORS request.
The bunkhouse costs $10 per person per night, with a $200 per night minimum (if you’re bringing twenty-one people, that is $210 per night, and so on). A $100 deposit is required. The bunkhouse can hold sixty scouts, and has two rooms for chaperones. It includes showers and bathrooms.
The campground costs $5 per person per night, with a $150 per night minimum. A $100 deposit is required. Please review the Comet Campground Policy before camping onsite.
The Green Bank Observatory has a cafeteria that can provide meals. If you are interested in this option, please select “Meal Services” in your GBORS request. Breakfast is $8/person; lunch is $10/person; and dinner is $12/person.
Scout troops are not required to purchase meals on site and are allowed to bring their own food and meals. There is a full-sized refrigerator in the bunkhouse available for use.
Scouts BSA Astronomy and Girl Scouts have a limit of forty-five scouts, so get your requests in as early as possible! Scouts BSA Electronics has a limit of thirty-five scouts.
Use the Green Bank Observatory Reservation System (GBORS) to request a reservation. Make sure to select “Science Center & Educational Activities” when creating your request.
When making your reservation, please include an estimated headcount of scouts and chaperones that will be attending. In the “Details” section please include how many scouts you are requesting a reservation for. Be sure to make a reservation for the dates that align with your preferred badge weekend. Badge weekends do fill up quickly, so you are welcome to list multiple badge weekends in “Details” and we will do our best to get your troop fit into one of those weekends.
Reservation requests are not confirmation of registration for merit badge weekends. Please allow us up to two weeks from your initial request to get a response back to you.
We operate on a first-come first-serve basis. We will do our best to get your troop in on your preferred weekend!
How do we get to and from the 40 ft telescope?
The 40 ft telescope is located 0.4 miles from the bunkhouse and residence hall. During instruction, scouts and chaperones are bussed down to the telescope for their hands-on lesson. Afterwards for data collection, scouts may walk to the telescope, it is about a 10 minute walk. Scouts are invited to bring their bikes for the weekend. There are also bikes and helmets located in a bike shed that can be used by scouts to go to and from the telescope as well, with chaperone approval for those under the age of 18. Undergraduate groups with professor chaperones are permitted to use a diesel observatory vehicle upon request, subject to availability.
Can I take pictures at the 40 ft or of the other telescopes?
Digital photography of any kind – such as using a phone or digital camera – is not permitted as the telescope is located in the Radio Instrument Zone and can cause RFI that disrupts our observations. Film photography – such as using a disposable film camera, or polaroid camera – is allowed and encouraged.
I have or use an electronic device for a medical purpose – can I participate in a scout merit badge weekend at GBO?
Yes! Devices that are medically necessary for the user, such as a pacemaker or glucose meter, are allowed in the Radio Instrument Zone.
I’m so excited to visit GBO with my troop, but I need to access the internet while I am there – how do I do that?
There are ethernet cables in the bunkhouse chaperone rooms for chaperone use, as well as ethernet cables in the residence hall rooms. The classroom in the Science Center also has ethernet cables available for student and chaperone use. In the Science Center is a Computer Lab that can be used by groups. Some groups may go into the computer lab for programming, while others may not. If you are interested in allowing access to the Computer Lab for your students during their free time, please inquire.
What about safety? How can I contact my scouts guardians, and how can they get in contact with us?
There are landline phones across the site available for student and chaperone use, including in the bunkhouse, at the Science Center, and in the 40 ft telescope. Scouts will be instructed how to contact help in the case of an emergency down at the telescope. If a guardian needs to reach a scout for any reason they can call the Science Center at 304-456-2150 as this is where most programming takes place.
When are merit badge dates posted?
Scout merit badge dates for the following year are posted in late October – early November. For example, the 2026 merit badge dates will be posted in late October – early November of 2025. Merit badge weekends are open for registration as soon as the dates are posted.
Are there are any prerequisites for participation in a merit badge weekend? Do scouts need to complete anything or bring anything with them?
There are no prerequisites for participation in a merit badge weekend at GBO, we will schedule programming to provide scouts the opportunity to satisfy all of their badge requirements. Scouts do not need to bring anything with them other than a good attitude! GBO will provide workbooks, writing utensils, and all materials associated with programming. GBO however does not provide the actual badges for scouts after completion.