Equipment
The observatory crowning the new science center houses a state-of-the-art PlaneWave Instruments CDK24 telescope, with a 24-inch diameter primary mirror and a Corrected Dall-Kirkham design to maximize image clarity and focus over an exceptionally large field of view. The CDK24 has a carbon fiber, dual truss design, with 11 cooling fans to equilibrate the temperature of its mirrors.
Image Gallery
Every semester students in our astronomy courses take images with the Planewave telescope. Although the skies are often cloudy in Chicago and the lightpollution is severe, these images show how beautiful the universe is beyond what we can see with the unaided eye.
History of the Observatory
Astronomy at Wheaton College has a rich history. Already in 1890 the college was home to a telescope (aka "the Lemon"), situated at that time on Blanchard lawn. Who knows whether the famous astronomer Edwin Hubble, who grew up in Wheaton, got inspired by visiting the Lemon on clear nights.