Westport Observatory

Westport Observatory sits at the highest point in Westport, Connecticut, on the site of a former Cold War missile base, and is run by volunteers from the Westport Astronomical Society.

About Westport Observatory

Westport Observatory, long known as Rolnick Observatory, is a public observatory operated by the Westport Astronomical Society, a volunteer non-profit group. It sits at the town's highest elevation, giving it an unusually good vantage point for a suburban site.

History

The observatory was built in the mid-1960s on the former BR-73 Nike missile site, a Cold War-era air defence installation. It was named Rolnick Observatory after Gerald Rolnick, who donated its 12.5-inch Newtonian reflector, and the Westport Astronomical Society was reorganised around it in 1975.

Telescopes & research

Alongside the original 12.5-inch Newtonian telescope, the observatory now houses a 25-inch Obsession telescope, reportedly the largest telescope available to the public anywhere in Connecticut.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits at the highest elevation in Westport, Connecticut, a coastal town in Fairfield County, on the grounds of a former Nike missile site that once formed part of Cold War-era air defences for the region.

Visiting Westport Observatory

The observatory is open to the public for free every Wednesday evening from 8 to 10 PM, weather permitting, run entirely by Westport Astronomical Society volunteers. Check the society's website for updates before you go, especially in poor weather.

See your named star from here

With the largest publicly accessible telescope in Connecticut on site, Westport Observatory's volunteers have the reach to track down a single named star among the crowd. Bring the coordinates from your Star Register certificate to a Wednesday night session, or explore other named stars in our catalogue beforehand.