McKim Observatory DePauw University

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McKim Observatory DePauw University

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from McKim Observatory DePauw University, Landmark & historical place, 711 Highridge Avenue, Greencastle, IN.

03/25/2026

Open House at McKim Observatory Friday, 27 March 2026, 8:30 – 10:00 p.m.

It looks like clear skies are possible on Friday for our McKim Observatory Open House. Jupiter and the Moon will be on the program. In addition to looking through the telescope, you can explore the exhibits on the history of the observatory.

For your visit, please note the historic building is not ADA compliant. The access to the building is a set of stairs up from street level, then three more steps up into the building. Inside, the access to the second floor is by a wooden spiral staircase with a conventional steepness. Also note that while McKim is an excellent example of a historic observatory, it lacks the modern convenience of a restroom. Parking is along the street.

McKim Observatory Open Houses are Free!

03/12/2026

Open House at McKim Observatory Friday, 13 March 2026, 9:00 – 10:00 p.m.

The cloud forecast for Friday night’s Open House at McKim Observatory is uncertain, some models show the clouds holding off until later in the night. Let’s hope that works out! We will be open from 9:00 to 10:00 pm. Jupiter is our primary target for the night, and even if there are scattered clouds we should still be able to get glimpses of it. If the sky is clear, we will also try for the Orion Nebula. This will be the last chance to see the Orion Nebula at McKim until next winter.

Even if it is too cloudy for viewing through the telescope you can still enjoy the exhibits in the observatory. Each room shows information about our unique observatory.

For your visit, please note the historic building is not ADA compliant. The access to the building is a set of stairs up from street level, then three more steps up into the building. Inside, the access to the second floor is by a wooden spiral staircase with a conventional steepness. Also note that while McKim is an excellent example of a historic observatory, it lacks the modern convenience of a restroom. Parking is along the street.

McKim Observatory Open Houses are Free!

02/26/2026

I have been getting questions about the “rare planetary alignment” happening on Feb 28. I have seen many ridiculously bad images about this. In the photos I show a bad image and the best I can create using the Stellarium planetarium software.

Here is what is actually happening. Venus, Mercury, Saturn and Neptune will be low in the west after sunset. My image is shown for 7:08 pm, which is 30 minutes past sunset on Feb 28. Venus is 5 degrees above the horizon; Saturn is 14 degrees above the horizon. Neptune is 1 degree to the right of Saturn. All will be in the twilight glare of the Sun. If you have a very clear western horizon should be able to see Venus. You might see Mercury with binoculars. Neptune is never visible to the unaided eye; you would need a telescope for it. I think Saturn will be hard to pick out, but maybe. As time goes on it will get darker, but these western planets will be getting lower in the sky.

On the opposite side of your sky, above the eastern sky, you will easily see the Moon and Jupiter. Uranus is up there too, but like Neptune, you need a telescope to see it. It is about 47 degrees to the right of Jupiter. For scale, the Moon and Jupiter are separated by 25 degrees on Feb 28.

The relative positions of the planets do not change much in a few days, but the position of the Moon does change a lot in one day. A nice thing to look for over the next couple of nights is to watch how the Moon catches up to and then passes Jupiter.

Bottom line: Jupiter and the Moon will be easy to see in the east. If you have a clear western horizon you can probably see Venus after sunset. I would not count on Saturn or Mercury, but maybe you will get lucky with binoculars (and a very clear western horizon). Forget about Neptune and Uranus.

02/24/2026

Open House at McKim Observatory Friday, 27 February 2026, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Once again, we have a clear forecast for Friday night! Both Jupiter and the Moon will be on the program. In addition to looking through the telescope, you can explore the exhibits on the history of the observatory. Be sure to see the Astral lantern which is on display for one more month before it goes in for restoration.

For your visit, please note the historic building is not ADA compliant. The access to the building is a set of stairs up from street level, then three more steps up into the building. Inside, the access to the second floor is by a wooden spiral staircase with a conventional steepness. Also note that while McKim is an excellent example of a historic observatory, it lacks the modern convenience of a restroom. Parking is along the street.

McKim Observatory Open Houses are Free!

02/13/2026

Just a reminder that McKim Observatory will be open tonight (Friday 13 Feb.) from 7:30 – 9:30 pm. The weather looks good: clear and relatively warm. Please come out to tour our historic observatory and view Jupiter through the Clark refractor.

02/10/2026

Open House at McKim Observatory Friday, 13 February 2026, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Right now, the forecast is for clear sky on Friday! We will be showing Jupiter through the historic Clark telescope. Check out our many exhibits on the history of the observatory and be sure to see the Astral lantern which is on display for one more month before it goes in for restoration.

For your visit, please note the historic building is not ADA compliant. The access to the building is a set of stairs up from street level, then three more steps up into the building. Inside, the access to the second floor is by a wooden spiral staircase with a conventional steepness. Also note that while McKim is an excellent example of a historic observatory, it lacks the modern convenience of a restroom. Parking is along the street.

McKim Observatory Open Houses are Free!

01/29/2026

McKim Open House Cancelled

We are sorry to announce the McKim Observatory Open House scheduled for Friday 30 Jan. 2026 is cancelled. The snowy conditions, the cold, and the frozen dome make an open house this Friday impractical.

The next scheduled open house is Friday, February 13, 7:30 – 9:30 pm. Lets hope for better weather!

01/09/2026

The first McKim Observatory Open House of 2026 is tonight, Friday, 9 January, 7:00 – 9:00 pm.

The sky might be cloudy, but we will be there! Come by and browse our exhibits and learn about the history of this unique building in Greencastle! If you missed seeing the Astral Lantern in December, you have a second chance at this open house, then it will be gone for several months for restoration. If the sky does clear, we will point the telescope to Jupiter and/or Saturn.

For your visit, please note the historic building is not ADA compliant. The access to the building is a set of stairs up from street level, then three more steps up into the building. Inside, the access to the second floor is by a wooden spiral staircase with a conventional steepness. Also note that while McKim is an excellent example of a historic observatory, it lacks the modern convenience of a restroom.

McKim Observatory Open Houses are Free!

01/08/2026

McKim Observatory Open House Schedule for Spring 2026

Spring 2026 Open House Schedule
(All are dates are Friday evenings)
January 9, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Saturn and dark sky targets
January 30, 7:30 – 9:30 pm, Moon and/or Jupiter
February 13, 7:30 – 9:30, Jupiter and dark sky targets
February 27, 7:30 – 9:30, Moon
March 13, 9:00 – 10:00, Jupiter and dark sky targets
March 27, 8:30 – 10:00, Moon and/or Jupiter
April 24, 9:15 – 10:15, Moon

12/04/2025

Open House at McKim Observatory on Friday, 5 December, from 7:00 – 9:00 pm.

Here are three reasons you should come to this Open House:
1. It’s your second to last chance to see Saturn until next fall. The early January open house will be the last chance. So don’t wait, get a look at Saturn now! Its rings are still fairly edge on, but appearing wider every month.

2. This is your final chance to see the artifacts from the early history of McKim that have been on loan from Archives for the fall. These include the original Visitors Guest Book and some of Wilbur Brown’s observing notebooks from 1885-1886.

3. This is your last chance to see Bailey’s Astral Lantern until next fall. After this open house it will be away for restoration. We will be giving short mini lectures about the Lantern at 7:30 and 8:00 in the Observatory Library room.

The extended cloud forecast is wavering: some runs show it clear into the early evening, others show partly to mostly cloudy. If the clouds are light and scattered, we will still be able to see the Moon and hopefully Saturn.

For your visit, please note the historic building is not ADA compliant. The access to the building is a set of stairs up from street level, then three more steps up into the building. Inside, the access to the second floor is by a wooden spiral staircase with a conventional steepness. Also note that while McKim is an excellent example of a historic observatory, it lacks the modern convenience of a restroom.

The McKim Observatory Open House is free!

11/12/2025

Check out this awesome photo of McKim in last night's aurora! Photo by Professor Alex Komives.

11/11/2025

Small Group Guided Tour at McKim Observatory Friday 14 November 2025

Friday, 14 November 2025, is the next Open House at McKim Observatory from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Before the Open House, we are offering the opportunity for a small group guided tour. The tour will take you through the Observatory’s five rooms and explain the equipment in each. The tour is from 6:15 and will last about 40 minutes, letting you be first in line for telescope viewing (if the sky is clear) when the general Open House starts at 7:00 pm. The tour is limited to 10 people.

To request a spot in the tour, email [email protected] with the subject line “McKim Tour”. Include the number of people in your group. Your spot is not reserved until I respond to your email.
This is our last pre-open house small group tour for the fall. We will start up again with warmer weather in the spring.

This month’s small group tour is full! There will NOT be a small group tour option in December. Look for them to return in the spring.

Address

711 Highridge Avenue
Greencastle, IN
46135

Website

https://www.depauw.edu/about/campus/mckim-observatory/

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