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Historical Observatories
  • Home
  • Events
  • List of Historical Observatories
  • US Observatory Gallery
  • Observatories that Haven't Survived
  • Foreign Observatory Gallery
  • Ancient Observatory Gallery
  • Observatory Postcards
  • Books about Historical Observatories
  • Videos
Picture
Visit our Friends of Historical Observatories
Facebook Group


Our objective is to work with a recently created organization called the "Alliance of Historical Observatories" which was established to "preserve and promote the importance of early observatories with hopes that these valuable institutions will be able to sustain the recognition they so richly deserve.". Among the observatories participating are the Yerkes Observatory, Mt. Wilson Observatory, Lowell Observatory, Lick Observatory, Griffith Observatory, Palomar Observatory, and the Vatican Observatory in Arizona.
Knightridge Observatory - photo taken by John Adler in 2018 - Indiana University built the Knightridge Space Observatory in the late 1930s
as an alternative to the older Kirkwood Observatory on campus.
- this observatory was demolished in 2020
Before the dawning of the space age, observatories across the US worked diligently to gather all the information required to make space exploration  possible in the first place. As technology advanced, a number of these valuable observatories fell behind in funding, and as a result, some of the country’s most important scientific institutions have been all but forgotten. In an effort to remedy that, a new organization called the Alliance of Historical Observatories is working to preserve and promote the importance of early observatories, with hopes that these valuable institutions will be able to sustain the recognition they so richly deserve.
Written by Tanja M. Laden - in an article in Hightimes, September 11, 2019

Opportunity to Help

The NWA Space in northwest Arkansas is trying  to restore and erect the 24-inch Brashear refractor completed in 1913 and formerly installed at the Sproul Observatory on the campus of Swarthmore College, in a new science center in Lowell, Arkansas. You can help by supporting NWA Space with a contribution or, better yet, a membership for just $60 per individual per year ($30 for students and seniors). Higher membership levels are available. Check out their website and watch a fascinating artist's rendering video of the proposed facility. It's one of the best I've ever seen and I think you'll enjoy it too! Then, click the Join+Support tab on the menu bar and make a difference! Thanks for your help!

Historical Observatory Links

Click on any link below to go to go to their website.

Albion Observatory
Allegheny Observatory
Barnard Observatory
Bradley Observatory
Boswell Observatory
Chamberlin Observatory
Cincinnati Observatory
Clarence T. Jones Observatory
Dearborn Observatory
Detroit Observatory
Drake Municipal Observatory
Earlham College Observatory
Fuertes Observatory
Goodsell Observatory
Griffith Observatory
Harvard College Observatory
Heyden Observatory
Holden Observatory
Holcomb Observatory
Hopkins Observatory
Kellogg Observatory
Kennon Observatory
Kirkwood Observatory
Ladd Observatory
Leander McCormick Observatory
Lick Observatory
Lowell Observatory
McKim Observatory
McMath - Hulbert Observatory

Melton Memorial Observatory
Morrison Observatory
Mount Wilson Observatory
Newton Observatory
Oak Ridge Observatory
Palomar Observatory
Peach Mountain Observatory
Perkins Observatory
Porter Turret Telescope
Ricard Observatory
Seagrave Memorial Observatory
Shattuck Observatory
Sproul Observatory
Stephens Memorial Observatory
Strawbridge Observatory
Swasey Observatory
Theodor Jacobsen Observatory
University of Illinois Observatory
US Naval Observatory
Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory
Van Vleck Observatory
Washburn Observatory
Weaver Observatory
Whitin Observatory
Wilder Observatory
Williams Observatory
Williston Observatory
Yerkes Observatory
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  • Home
  • Events
  • List of Historical Observatories
  • US Observatory Gallery
  • Observatories that Haven't Survived
  • Foreign Observatory Gallery
  • Ancient Observatory Gallery
  • Observatory Postcards
  • Books about Historical Observatories
  • Videos