University of Oklahoma Observatory

On the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, Oklahoma, an astronomical observatory has been tracking the sky since 1939, carrying the official IAU observatory code H30.

About University of Oklahoma Observatory

The observatory sits atop what was, at the time of construction, the southernmost building on campus, housed in a 16-foot dome.

History

Built in 1939, the observatory originally held a 10-inch Newtonian reflector alongside a smaller 3.5-inch telescope. In 1995, the original 10-inch instrument was replaced with a 0.4 m (16-inch) Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, which remains in use today.

Telescopes & research

Today the observatory's main instrument is the 0.4 m Meade SCT, used for teaching and observational astronomy on campus.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in Norman, Oklahoma, on the University of Oklahoma campus, part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

Visiting University of Oklahoma Observatory

Public viewing nights are sometimes organized by the university's astronomy department; check the university's website or contact the department before planning a visit.

See your named star from here

Once you've named a star with Star Register, an observatory like this one can aim a telescope at its precise coordinates. Look up your star in our catalogue to plan the visit.