Portage Lake Observatory

Portage Lake Observatory once stood near the village of Dexter, Michigan, about 20 km northwest of Ann Arbor, where it operated as one of the University of Michigan's astronomical facilities.

About Portage Lake Observatory

The observatory was owned and operated by the University of Michigan. It is no longer active today, but it was part of a long line of observatories the university has run over the years.

History

Construction at the Portage Lake site began in 1948, and the facility operated until it was closed in 1975. It sits alongside other University of Michigan observatories through the decades: the Detroit Observatory in Ann Arbor (1854), the Angell Hall Observatory in Ann Arbor (1927), the Lamont-Hussey Observatory in South Africa (1928), the McMath-Hulbert Observatory at Lake Angelus (1930), and the Peach Mountain Observatory, also near Dexter (1955).

Location & getting there

The former observatory site is near Dexter, Michigan, in the United States, roughly 20 km (12 miles) northwest of Ann Arbor. Use the map on this page to see its location.

Visiting Portage Lake Observatory

Because the facility closed in 1975, it is not open as an active public observatory today.

See your named star from here

Even though Portage Lake Observatory itself is history, the Dexter, Michigan sky it once studied is still open for stargazing. Take a star named with Star Register to a nearby active observatory or use its coordinates with a stargazing app - see our naming packages or browse the catalogue.