Oct. 10, 2026
Saturday / 1:00 PM
Oct. 15, 2026
Thursday / 6:00 PM
The Observatory offers programs exploring the history of astronomy and the history of the University of Michigan. We’re open Thursdays, Fridays, and 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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After Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter, President Lincoln called for volunteers to fight for the Union. Michigan answered the call—its soldiers were the first from the “west” to arrive in Washington, D.C., and Michigan regiments would engage in nearly every major battle of the Civil War, from Vicksburg to Gettysburg.
Join us for a free talk at the Observatory to learn more about this fascinating history on Thursday, October 15, at 6 pm! This talk is presented in conjunction with our new exhibit, “‘Fill the Ranks’: The Civil War and the University of Michigan.” Anyone is welcome to sign up to attend!
The Observatory will be open 12-7:30 pm on Thursday, so come early to explore the exhibit before the program!
Register here (in-person or virtual): ://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/czmvvn9/lp/c01c7429-8cb3-49e6-b17d-7c6b38e3eb48
The Making Michigan series is co-sponsored by the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan. Additional support from the U-M U.S. at 250 initiative.
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Searching for Saturday plans? Look no further—we’re now open every Saturday from 12-5pm! Visit the Observatory to learn about U-M’s astronomical heritage, explore our exhibit “‘Fill the Ranks’: The Civil War and the University of Michigan,” and (weather permitting) safely observe the sun through our solar telescope. ☀️🔭
Once a month, we’re open late on Saturday to explore the night sky using historic and modern telescopes. Check our calendar for our extended Saturdays: detroitobservatory.umich.edu/visit/#tribe-calendar
🌟 Frankel Detroit Observatory Hours:
Thursdays: 12 PM – 5 PM
Fridays: 12 PM – 11 PM
Saturdays: 12 PM – 5 PM (select Saturdays 12 PM – 11 PM)
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Join us this Friday, October 2, from 7-9 pm for a special event in partnership with the U-M Department of Afroamerican and African Studies! Under Harriet’s Sky explores what the night sky would have looked like during the Civil War, when Harriet Tubman led people to freedom on the Underground Railroad. This event honors the visit of Edda Fields-Black, professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University and author of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize-winning book “COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War.”
The evening will feature presentations from DAAS Chair Bénédicte Boisseron and Assistant Director of Astronomy Austin Edmister, along with a screening of “Unburied, Unmourned, Unmarked: Requiem for Rice” (composed by Jonathan Wineglass, libretto by Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black), the first symphonic work about slavery on rice plantations.
After the event, we will be observing the night sky using historic and modern telescopes (weather permitting). The event is free and open to the public!
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