[May 30, 2012]
Venus Transit @ Wheaton College Observatory
Only a couple of days until Venus transits the face of the Sun. You can witness this rare event from the Wheaton College Observatory through several of our telescopes. The weather forecast looks good, and so we will be open from 4:30pm till sunset (8:27PM). This event if free for the public, and everyone is welcome, families and children included.
More information about this transit can be found on our main page and on NASA's page Transit of Venus>>.
[May 2, 2012]
Venus Transit (June 5, 2012)
The observatory will open for the transit of Venus over the sun on June 5. This is the last chance to see this rare event until 2117. We have several telescopes that are safe to point at the Sun and through which you can follow the transit. The transit starts at 5:04PM and is no longer visible after sunset (8:27PM). We will be open the entire time, weather permitting. Please check back for more information later.
[May 2, 2012]
Summer closing & Fall 2012 Program
The observatory is closed for the summer. Regular opening hours will resume late August. We also will be offering a Friday night program in the Fall of 2012 for the general public with a lecture and viewing. Please check later this summer for details.
[April 4, 2012]
M95 + Supernova SN2012aw
While we are still testing the new telescope, we also have the opportunity to shoot some nice images. This image shows the barred-spiral galaxy M95 with the newly discovered supernova in it (SN2012aw). The supernova was first discovered on March 15 and has since then increased significantly in brightness. The explosion is the result of a massive star who at the end of its life runs out of fuel, and collapses under its own weight. After a fraction of a second this collapse, however, is reversed to an explosion, which we see as a supernova. This supernova produces almost as much energy as the whole galaxy, and they are among the most energetic events in the universe. The galaxy M95 itself has a distance of about 38 million light years.
The image is made with the new Planewave 24'' telescope, with an exposure time of 150 seconds (lum).
[March 14, 2012]
New Telescope installed in the dome
The new Planewave Instruments 24-inch CDK telescope is installed in the dome.
Telescope Installation
[March 1, 2012]
New Telescope to arrive on March 6
The new 24 inch CDK Planewave Instruments telescope is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday March 6. It will be installed during the subsequent days. We will post pictures of the arrival and installation on the website.
[March 1, 2012]
March Skymap
Skymap for March available >>