Gettysburg College Observatory

Gettysburg College Observatory has watched over its Pennsylvania campus since the 1850s, and in July 1863 it quietly made history as the only known record of weather conditions during the Battle of Gettysburg.

About Gettysburg College Observatory

The college secured its first telescope in 1853, and its first dedicated observatory building went up in 1874. The current facility, on campus since 1967, stands at the northwest edge of the campus beyond West Building and the Center for Athletics, and is designated as a Minor Planet Center with the International Astronomical Union.

History

In July 1863, the observatory was used to observe conditions during the Battle of Gettysburg, producing the only surviving record of the battle's weather. The college's first purpose-built observatory followed in 1874, and the present facility has occupied its current site since 1967.

Telescopes & research

The observatory operates a 16-inch f/11 Ealing Cassegrain reflector, built in 1996 by Astronomical Consultants and Equipment of Tucson, with a computer-controlled dome, telescope and filter box. It is used for variable star photometry and imaging, and the observatory holds Minor Planet Center designation from the International Astronomical Union.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits on the campus of Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, United States, at the northwest edge of the campus near West Building and the Center for Athletics.

Visiting Gettysburg College Observatory

The observatory supports the college's Physics Department and its planetarium programme. For current public viewing nights or open-house schedules, check the Gettysburg College Physics Department's official pages before visiting.

See your named star from here

A telescope that has tracked variable stars for decades is well suited to a very different kind of star search: finding the exact point in the sky where a named star sits, using its RA and Dec coordinates. Name a star, or browse the star catalogue.