Bucknell Observatory

On the Bucknell University campus in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Bucknell Observatory pairs a 19th-century refracting telescope with regular public stargazing nights.

About Bucknell Observatory

Bucknell Observatory is owned and operated by Bucknell University's Department of Physics and Astronomy, located on campus at 840 Fraternity Road in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Alongside its telescopes, the observatory displays historical astronomical artifacts, including meteorites and antique instruments.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's centrepiece is a Clark & Sons refracting telescope received by the university in 1887, complete with an original clock drive built to track the stars against Earth's rotation, alongside modern instruments used for teaching and public viewing. In 2019 it supported coursework in observational astrophysics taught by Katelyn Allers, a Bucknell professor who was part of the team credited with discovering the rogue planet PSO J318.5-22.

Location & getting there

The observatory is on Bucknell University's campus in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in the state's central Susquehanna Valley region.

Visiting Bucknell Observatory

Bucknell hosts public observatory nights on select evenings, offering a tour of the facility, a look at the night's constellations, and telescope viewing; sessions are cancelled if skies are cloudy or rainy. Check the Bucknell Physics & Astronomy events page for upcoming dates.

See your named star from here

The historic Clark refractor at Bucknell Observatory has tracked the stars using right ascension and declination since 1887 - the same coordinate system that pinpoints your named star on its Star Register certificate. Bring those coordinates to a public night and see whether the visiting telescope can be turned toward it. Get started at /#packages or browse the catalogue.