Digital Exhibits
Our online exhibits are just a click away.
A New Universe of Research
March 20, 2023
In the late 1800s, new technologies revolutionized astronomy. But U-M missed out – that is, until William Hussey returned to campus. Learn about the ways in which the University of Michigan returned to the forefront of astronomical research.
What Time Is It? How “Observatory Time” Changed the City of Detroit and Beyond
March 11, 2022
Trains crashing. People dying. Businesses struggling. The perils of keeping incorrect time in Detroit were significant, and the city desperately needed a solution. A visionary academic, a businessman, and new technology to plot the stars would converge at the Observatory, changing Detroit—and the campus—forever.
Aiming for the Stars: Early Women Astronomers and the Detroit Observatory
February 4, 2022
Explore the development and impact of astronomy for women at the University of Michigan. Created in collaboration with the Bentley Historical Library and the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), this exhibition gives a unique look into the lives of early women astronomy students at the D.O. and the impact as they pursued their professional careers.
Recorded Talks and Presentations
Videos of talks and presentations at the Observatory
Making Michigan
July 12, 2023
The Detroit Observatory hosts the Making Michigan series of talks on the history of the University of Michigan. Videos can be found on the Making Michigan website.
Tragedy on the Ice: U-M Astronomy and the Ill-Fated Greely Polar Expedition
June 12, 2023
When a U-M faculty member recommends his prize pupil -- Edward Israel -- for a daring expedition in Greenland, disaster strikes on multiple fronts. Andrew Rutledge, research associate, and Lara Zielin, editorial director, at the Bentley Historical Library take the viewer on a deep dive into this story of science, tragedy, and a young astronomer's courage.
Movie Night: “Big Astronomy” w/ Dr. Shannon Schmoll
March 23, 2023
Dr. Shannon Schmoll, director of the MSU Abrams Planetarium, discusses Big Astronomy, or Astronomia a Gran Escala, a documentary that she and others produced to share the story of the people and places who make big astronomy and big science happen. The show takes visitors to the extreme sites where astronomy happens in the most extreme environments and with some of the most interesting people.
