Supermoon from July 2, 2023, taken from my backyard.
Wisconsin Astronomy Observatories
Behold the stages of the moon, the northern lights, lunar and solar eclipses, meteor showers, and a galaxy of planets and stars. Look up towards the sky and witness these celestial events with awe. Of course, no matter where you live, you can look skyward. But if you really want to dive in for an up-close look at the night sky, the astronomy observatories here in Wisconsin can improve your view. For even more opportunities and information, check out the Astronomy Clubs of Wisconsin website and the DarkSky International Organization website.
Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay.
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Located in Williams Bay, Yerkes Observatory, has been dedicated to the study of astronomy since its opening in 1897. The institute became known in the science world for its exploration and views of the night sky, laboratories, workshops, and libraries.
A roster of notable scientists were part of the on-going discoveries and developments at the observatory through the past century, and more. Even Albert Einstein spent time there - the study of astrophysics bringing Einstein to the observatory in 1921. There are three domes on campus, with the largest telescope being 64 feet long, The two smaller being 40 inches, and 24 inches. Originally owned by the University of Chicago, the institute was closed in 2018. But, in May of 2020, it was donated by the University of Chicago, to the Yerkes Observatory Future Foundation. Going forward, the foundation envisions a campus that is dedicated to the continued study of space, but also as a home for the arts, community life, music, outdoor recreation, and more. |
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The Charles and Kathryn Heide School Yard Observatory is located on the grounds of Hawthorne Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum in Kenosha, and hosts events throughout the year.
The observatory features a PlaneWave CDK17 telescope on an L-500 Series mount in an automated dome, as well as two exterior mounts for smaller telescopes. They host both day and nighttime classes and events throughout the year, along with star parties and astrophotography projects. |
Heide School Yard Observatory at Hawthorne Hollow, Kenosha.
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Modine-Benstead Observatory in Yorkville.
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The observatory is used by the Racine Astronomical Society, which was first founded in 1956. They have been using this facility since it was dedicated in October, 1963. The first 16-inch telescope was installed at that time, and is still in use in the main building today. A second building and dome was later added, and includes a 14-inch telescope. Many local companies and manufacturers were involved in the building of the observatory on the 3.5-acre property.
Since that time the observatory has held public events hosted by the Racine Astronomical Society, and offer a free open-house evening once a month to the general public. If you have an interest in viewing the galaxies above, I would encourage you to attend one of their events. |
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The main campus at Crossroads at Big Creek also includes the Leif Everson Observatory and the Star Garden dark sky viewing area, including a planet walk and observatory. Since the moon was nearly full during my visit, there weren't any dark sky viewing events. I had trouble figuring out where the dark sky viewing area was along the trail when I visited a couple nights earlier, so I was glad to find it during my daytime visit.
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The Leif Everson Observatory in Sturgeon Bay.
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All photos, blog posts, and content are copyright (c) 2014-2024 Kimberly Mackowski, unless otherwise noted. |
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