Welcome!

The Calvin College Observatory offers a free tour of the Universe to all visitors. Our regular schoolyear hours resume on September 14: Monday-Thursday one half-hour past sunset till 11 pm for Calvin students. In addition, the general public is welcome clear Wednesday nights throughout the year.

September features: The brightest object in the evening sky is the planet Jupiter. The view through the telescope will show the four moons discovered by Galileo 400 years ago next January. Directly overhead the three bright stars of the summer triangle. The beauties of this region include the Ring Nebula and the colorful binary star Alberio.

LATEST NEWS: In August 2009, new light fixtures installed on the Commons Lawn, in response to the proposal from the Astr384 class. This greatly reduces the light pollution on the Observatory Deck, making the stars easier to see and increasing the light levels on sidewalks. Read about it in the Chimes (story by our own Melissa Haegert) and the Calvin press release.

PREVIOUS NEWS: A class of Calvin students set off for the American Southwest in January for a three week course "Astronomy in the Southwest". Relive the adventure through their daily web log.

Observatory Director: Prof. Larry Molnar 616-526-6341
Telescope Dome on campus: 616-526-6435

updated 9/04/09 by L. Molnar