Drake Municipal Observatory

Set within Waveland Golf Course at the highest natural point in Des Moines, Iowa, the Drake Municipal Observatory has been introducing the public to the night sky for over a century.

About Drake Municipal Observatory

The observatory is jointly operated by Drake University and the City of Des Moines: the city supplied the land and construction funds, while the university provided the scientific instruments and staff. The elegant limestone building, completed on November 5, 1921, was built in classic Grecian style.

History

Construction began in 1920 and finished the following year. The observatory's rotunda holds the ashes of astronomer Daniel Walter Morehouse, discoverer of a comet in 1908 and Drake University's president from 1922 to 1941, along with those of his wife Myrtle.

Telescopes & research

The main dome houses an 8.25-inch refracting telescope on a German equatorial mount. Drake astronomy students use the facility for observing classes, and the observatory draws more than 2,300 visitors a year to its public programmes.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits within Waveland Golf Course in Des Moines, Iowa, on the site's historic highest point — a spot originally chosen for its clear, elevated view of the sky.

Visiting Drake Municipal Observatory

Public programmes run on Friday nights from spring through autumn, weather permitting, giving visitors the chance to observe celestial objects through a variety of telescopes. Check the official website for the current schedule before visiting.

See your named star from here

With a working refractor and a century of public stargazing behind it, Drake Municipal Observatory is exactly the kind of place where a named star comes to life. Bring your certificate's coordinates on a Friday night, or name your own star first at /#packages and browse the sky at the catalogue.