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.
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☄️Happy Asteroid Day! ☄️
Did you know the first asteroids were discovered in 1801?
Between 1863 and 1877, James Craig Watson, the Observatory's second director, discovered 22 asteroids. Twenty-one of them were found using the Fitz telescope—the same telescope that still stands in the Observatory today. At the time, Watson's discoveries accounted for nearly 10% of all known bodies in the solar system. Today, NASA has identified more than 1.5 million asteroids, making his accomplishments even more remarkable.
During our observing nights, you can look through the historic Fitz telescope yourself and experience a piece of astronomical history! 🔭
Pictured: the 1857 Fitz telescope at the Frankel Detroit Observatory; Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, photographed by student docents using the Fitz telescope in June 2023.
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Did you know that you can use a nearly 170-year old telescope at the Frankel Detroit Observatory every Friday night, and some Saturdays, weather permitting? Join us this Saturday, June 27 for our Saturday Open House and Telescope Observing! 🌖🔭
At our telescope observing nights, student docents—pictured here!—assist with using both the historic Fitz Telescope and modern instruments to view objects in the sky.
Check out our event calendar on our website and on Facebook for more information: detroitobservatory.umich.edu/visit/#tribe-calendar
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From women’s rights to Indigenous recognition, U-M has long been the locus of social and civil rights engagement. On our free Paths of Protest walking tour on Saturday, June 27, student docents will share stories of student activism on campus.
Free, registration required. More information here: www.facebook.com/events/837954549169274?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22your_upcoming_events_unit%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22bookmark%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D
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