Astronomy Club

Look to the Heavens on Earth

One of the most intriguing features of the campus is our telescope and observatory. The eight-foot long, six-inch diameter, solid brass instrument was built by Alvin Clark & Sons in the late l800’s and was purchased by the Seminary in the early 1920’s. It is housed under a fifteen-foot motorized dome atop a six-story tower – the highest point on campus. With the advent of indoor plumbing, the tower was added to the East end of the main building (Laurentianum) in 1920 to incorporate showers and restrooms to the four-story structure. It created the perfect location and vantage point for an observatory. The dark skies of rural Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, make for excellent viewing, and the location of the observatory eliminates most obstructions.

The Astronomy Club offers our students the opportunity to survey the glory of God’s creation and explore the mysteries of the universe through hands-on observation. Typical objects selected for viewing include planets, binary and variable stars, galaxies, star clusters and nebulae. Special events, such as meteor showers, eclipses and comets are also popular.

All interested students, whether novice or seasoned enthusiast, are welcome to join. This dynamic allows more knowledgeable astronomers to share with those interested in learning. In most years, the club will sponsor field trips to off-campus points of interest, such as a planetarium or a major observatory. Regular meetings are held to stay current on space exploration and discoveries in the field of astronomy.

"I enjoy the stargazing we get to do, it's a great experience to go up to the observatory and look at things you've probably never seen before, or if you have, maybe never really understood what they were." Joshua Drees (’08), President