Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House

Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House is a historic home and observatory in Geneva, in Ontario County, New York, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

About Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House

The observatory is a small frame building with a two-story tower flanked by two small wings. Its tower houses a 10-inch refracting telescope built by Warner & Swasey of Cleveland, Ohio, while the east wing contains an intact meridian transit telescope and sidereal pendulum clock. The adjoining house is a two-story brick dwelling with a broad range of intact, late Victorian eclectic features.

History

Both structures were built in 1888. Dr. William R. Brooks, a Professor of Astronomy at Hobart College, used the observatory, which remained under the college's ownership until the late 20th century. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Location & getting there

The site is located in Geneva, in Ontario County, New York. Use the map and directions on this page to plan a visit.

Visiting Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House

As a listed historic property, access may be limited to scheduled tours or events; checking with local historical societies or Geneva visitor information before travelling is recommended.

See your named star from here

The observatory's 10-inch refractor was built to be pointed at precise sky coordinates, so a star named through Star Register could, in principle, be located from this historic New York site using its right ascension and declination. Browse the star catalogue for a named star's position.