Van Vleck Observatory

Built in 1914 on the campus of Wesleyan University, Van Vleck Observatory preserves a piece of American astronomical history in Middletown, Connecticut.

About Van Vleck Observatory

Van Vleck Observatory (VVO, IAU code 298) is owned and operated by Wesleyan University. It was named after Prof. John M. Van Vleck, former head of the university's Department of Mathematics and Astronomy.

History

The observatory was completed in 1914, and it still holds a Great Refractor, a long-focus lens telescope of the kind popular in the late 1800s, alongside several other historic instruments.

Telescopes & research

Notably, the observatory's original building is no longer used for astronomical research; it now houses the university's education department offices instead. Its surviving Great Refractor and other telescopes remain as a record of the site's observational past.

Location & getting there

Van Vleck Observatory sits in Middletown, Connecticut, on the Wesleyan University campus in the northeastern United States.

Visiting Van Vleck Observatory

Since the building's astronomical function has shifted to office and education use, check with Wesleyan University directly for any current public access or open house schedules before visiting.

See your named star from here

Even where a historic telescope like the Great Refractor no longer conducts research, the coordinates of a named star can still be traced from the surrounding region with a modern instrument. Name a star or browse the star catalogue.