The Observatory offers programs exploring the history of astronomy and the history of the University of Michigan. We’re open Thursdays, Fridays, and select Saturdays. Admission is always free!
Check our calendar for programs and events!
Learn more about this newly reimagined, one-of-a-kind place, where the spirit of science and discovery link the past and present.
The Detroit Observatory on Facebook
Follow Us
On this day in 1892, U-M alum William J. Hussey sketched the planet Mars while observing through the Lick Observatory's powerful telescope in California. Based on what he saw, Hussey and other astronomers believed the planet was crossed by artificially constructed channels. 🔭
His drawings are among the earliest visual depictions of the "canals" on Mars—a theory that persisted for decades before being disproven in 1965, when NASA captured the first close-up photographs of the planet.
Hussey later became the Detroit Observatory's fifth director, serving from 1905 to 1926.
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
Thanks to our friends at GLAS: Geneva Lake Astrophysics and STEAM, we had an excuse to show off some of our collection! Our historic instruments—some dating to the 19th century—help us understand how astronomers past and present measure stellar locations and distances.In recognition of our country’s 250th Anniversary, some members of the GLAS Education team recently made a visit to the historic Judy and Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory (known as the Detroit Observatory) located on the campus of The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Kate Meredith, President/CEO of GLAS Education; Olivia Smithmier, Education Contractor; James Cudworth, GLAS Board Chair; and, intern Jamar Zhou, a computer science and physics major at University of Chicago, visited the Detroit Observatory to learn how 19th Century astronomers used mechanical instruments to precisely measure stellar locations and distances.
Built in 1854, the Detroit Observatory is the University of Michigan’s second-oldest building, now managed by the Bentley Historical Library with programs and efforts to make centuries of science relevant for a new generation. The Observatory currently houses many of the instruments 19th Century astronomers used to measure stellar motions and distances.
Smithmier is guiding an intern project this summer to demonstrate the operating principles of the sextant. The sextant is a tool that measures the angle between a celestial body and the horizon at a precise time of the day. Sailors once used it to determine their location at sea, and requires precise settings with STEM knowledge of astronomy, geometry and math to work properly. Smithmier designed the project to tie into America's 250th Anniversary to teach students how our forebears used the stars to find their way.
Studying with Smithmier this summer, Zhou is now working on creating 3D models that visually and tactilely demonstrate the principles behind the operation of a sextant. GLAS has some significant connections to the Detroit Observatory. Dr. Katya Gozman is a former GLAS intern, a current GLAS board member, and was a staff member at the Observatory while earning her PhD at University of Michigan.
In the photo, L to R: Olivia Smithmier, Education Contractor, GLAS Education; Dr. Katya Gozman, GLAS Board Member; Austin Edmister, Assistant Director of Astronomy at the Detroit Observatory; and, Jamar Zhou, GLAS Summer 2026 Intern from the University of Chicago.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
On July 20, 1969, humankind took a giant leap when astronauts first set foot on the Moon. International Moon Day commemorates the Apollo 11 mission and the spirit of exploration and discovery it represents. This photograph, taken in 1920 through the historic Fitz telescope, offers a glimpse of how astronomers at the Detroit Observatory captured the Moon more than a century ago. 🌔
Long before the Space Race, observatories played a vital role in expanding our understanding of our closest celestial neighbor. Through careful observation, photography, and public education, they inspired generations to look to the night sky—helping lay the foundation for the scientific achievements that eventually carried humans to the lunar surface. 🚀
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
