Sherzer Observatory - Eastern Michigan University - Ypsilanti, Michigan
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GT.US
N 42° 14.825 W 083° 37.495
17T E 283445 N 4680546
The Sherzer Observatory was started in 1878 with the gift of a 4-inch Alvan Clark refractor telescope, from the citizens of Ypsilanti.
Waymark Code: WM5BNQ
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 12/14/2008
Views: 12
EMU History at (
visit link) tells us this:
The telescope made it's first home in Pierce Hall. In 1893 it was moved to Sherzer Hall. Through the years more telescopes were added to the observatory. A Mellish refractor would serve the campus for more than 60 years. A Negus brass transit scope was also housed in an adjoining room complete with slits that opened parallel to the local astronomical meridian.
In March of 1989 a fire destroyed the observatory. The building was 50% destroyed, but a new observatory rose from the ashes. Sherzer's reconstruction cost more than $5 million. The new Sherzer Observatory opened in September, 1991. In January, 1997, work on the astronomy classroom/planetarium, 402 Sherzer, was completed. A secondary dome is operational as of summer 2008 with a Celestron Nexstar 8" SCT and imaging hardware that is controlled from a room beneath (402 Sherzer). Another SCT is semi-perminently mounted on the SW corner of the roofdeck. A variety of Dobsonian, SCT, and other instruments rounds out the current inventory of telescopes availble to students and staff.
Visit Instructions:Note the time of day of your visit, and your own photo of your favorite part of the observatory. This might be the view from the observatory, picture of your favorite building or favorite exhibit. (Be mindful of flash photography rules!)
If you participated in an observing session, let everyone know what you saw!