Clarke Observatory

Clarke Observatory sits on the campus of the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, a small facility with a history of moving buildings almost as often as it has tracked the stars.

About Clarke Observatory

The observatory began as a privately built facility before being sold to Elmer Harrold, who donated it to Mount Union College when his daughter graduated. Since then it has changed location more than once: the original building was demolished in 1969 and its telescope moved to East Hall, before later relocating again to the roof of Bracy Hall, where it operates today.

History

In the early 20th century, Ohio native Walter Haas studied the skies from Clarke Observatory, an experience that fed into his founding of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) in 1947, an organisation that still coordinates amateur planetary observation today.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits on the University of Mount Union campus in Alliance, Ohio, in the northeastern part of the state.

Visiting Clarke Observatory

As a campus facility, public access is generally tied to university events or open nights; check with the University of Mount Union directly for current visiting arrangements.

See your named star from here

A star named through Star Register comes with its own coordinates, ready to be tracked down by a telescope like the one that has moved across this Ohio campus for decades. Name a star, or browse the catalogue of stars already named.