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McKim Observatory welcomes public
Built in 1884 and then renovated and placed on the National Historic Registry in the 1970s, the McKim Observatory on Greencastle’s northeast side still houses many of its original pieces of equipment.
Maintained by the DePauw University Physics and Astronomy Department, it is still used today by students and for independent research projects.
Throughout the school year, Mary Kertzman of the Astronomy Department organizes open house events which allow the general public to tour the facility on DePauw Avenue, just north of Franklin Street, and learn about its history. In addition, Kertzman brings telescopes for visitors to use and guides them on a tour of the night sky.
While the open houses are free and open to the public, it should be noted that inclement weather can delay or cancel the events.
The schedule for the remainder of the year is listed below:.
— Friday, Oct. 11, 7:30-9 p.m.
— Friday, Nov. 8, 7-9 p.m.
— Friday, Dec. 6, 7-9 p.m.
McKim Observatory is considered an excellent example of a late 19th-century American observatory.
Its first floor comprises four distinct rooms: The Transit Room, the Chronograph Room, the Clock Room and the library.
The second floor consists of the Equatorial Room which is home to the star of McKim Observatory, a Clark Refracting Telescope with a 9.53-inch objective lens made by the renown Alvin Clark and Sons.
The Transit Room is home to an operational Fauth and Co. Meridian Circle Transit Telescope. A functional Warner and Swasey chronograph completes the suite of original instruments and is housed in the Chronograph Room.
The Clock Room once held the observatory’s astronomical clocks, which are now on display in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at DePauw. The Library Room preserves the original Biddle Library bookcase with a few of its original reference materials.