William Miller Sperry Observatory

The William Miller Sperry Observatory, usually known simply as Sperry Observatory, sits on the Union County College campus in Cranford, New Jersey, and has been opening its telescopes to the public since the 1960s.

About William Miller Sperry Observatory

The observatory is owned by Union County College and operated by Amateur Astronomers, Incorporated (AAI), a volunteer astronomy society that has run it continuously since it was dedicated on 21 May 1967. It was named for William Miller Sperry after his daughter, Carrie Regina Beinecke, and grandson, William Sperry Beinecke, donated $150,000 toward its construction; the Harvard astronomer Harlow Shapley gave the keynote address at the dedication.

Telescopes & research

Sperry Observatory houses two of the largest telescopes on the East Coast that are open to the public on a weekly basis. Its East Dome holds a 10-inch f/15 refractor built by AAI members and donated to the college in November 1972, while the West Dome houses a 24-inch f/11 Cassegrain reflector, purchased and owned by AAI and installed in October 1974.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located on the Union County College campus in Cranford, New Jersey, easily reached from the wider New York metropolitan area.

Visiting William Miller Sperry Observatory

AAI opens the observatory to the public on a weekly basis, though it's best to check the current schedule before travelling, since sessions can depend on weather and the college calendar.

See your named star from here

With a 24-inch reflector and a 10-inch refractor both aimed at the sky each week, Sperry Observatory's volunteers are well practised at finding faint targets by coordinates, just like the ones assigned to every Star Register name. Browse the catalogue or name a star of your own.