Palisades-Dows Observatory

Palisades-Dows Observatory sits within the Palisades-Dows Preserve about 15 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, run by a dedicated club of amateur astronomers who built it from the ground up.

About Palisades-Dows Observatory

The observatory is operated by the Cedar Amateur Astronomers (CAA), founded on September 29, 1979 and incorporated in 1980, in cooperation with the Linn County Conservation Department. It is located at 1365 Ivanhoe Road.

History

The Cedar Amateur Astronomers broke ground on the observatory in 1987, and the Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center was completed in 2008, giving the club a dedicated public facility.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's telescopes include a 16-inch Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain dating to the 1960s and donated by the University of Iowa's Physics and Astronomy Department, a 6-inch refracting telescope, and a 14-inch Celestron Edge HD mounted on an AstroPhysics AP1100 mount.

Location & getting there

The observatory is within the Palisades-Dows Preserve, roughly 15 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, part of the North America region on Star Register's map, giving it darker skies than the city itself.

Visiting Palisades-Dows Observatory

The observatory holds monthly public nights at the Learning Center, with observing sessions when conditions permit; Cedar Amateur Astronomers membership also includes facility access.

See your named star from here

With three telescopes on site, Palisades-Dows Observatory has the equipment to find a star at any given coordinates, exactly the kind of precise location you receive when you name a star through Star Register. Name a star, or browse the catalogue of stars already named.