Crow Observatory

On Washington University's Danforth Campus in St. Louis, Crow Observatory keeps a telescope older than the Civil War still pointed at the sky.

About Crow Observatory

Crow Observatory is housed in Crow Hall, home to the Physics Department at Washington University in St. Louis. Its centrepiece is the Yeatman Refractor, a 6-inch telescope with lenses by Henry Fitz & Co., purchased in 1863 and named after philanthropist James Yeatman, who donated $1,500 toward its construction in 1857.

History

The telescope originally stood at a site on 18th Street in St. Louis city before moving to the university's Danforth Campus after the 1904 World's Fair. The dome that now tops Crow Hall was completed in 1954, and the historic Yeatman Refractor is still in working order today.

Location & getting there

Crow Observatory sits atop Crow Hall on Washington University's Danforth Campus in St. Louis, Missouri, easy to find within the university's central academic buildings.

Visiting Crow Observatory

The observatory opens to the public free of charge on clear evenings, Monday through Friday, during the fall and spring semesters, from 7 to 10pm standard time (8 to 10pm during daylight saving time).

See your named star from here

Once you've named a star through Star Register, a public viewing night here is a natural place to try spotting it. Find its exact coordinates in the star catalogue before you go.