NIU Observatory

NIU Observatory We are an astronomical observatory managed by NIU's Dept of Physics, located on NIU's main campus.

Our public hours are Wednesday Evenings from 8-10pm, or by appointment. The NIU observatory, mounted on top of Davis hall, is home to a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain reflecting Telescope, a 60mm Televue refracting telescope, and several other portable 'scopes. Weather permitting the observatory is open for weekly public viewings, and for other groups by appointment. The observatory dome was added to

the existing Davis Hall building in 1965. The original telescope was replaced in the year 2000 with funding from the NIU Foundation and NIU dept of Physics. Upgraded go-to controls wireless controls were added in 2024, allowing the telescope to be remotely controlled via tablet. The NIU observatory welcomes hundreds of visitors each year for public viewings, group tours, and other special celestial events.

08/31/2026

Thank you to everyone who came up to view the lunar eclipse with us last Thurs for our special hours. We had over 130 folks come up over the course of the night, with a line down the stairs during the peak! We were so busy we didn't get many photos, but we'll post what we did get later today.
And remember this week starts our new fall hours! We will now be open to the public from 8-10pm every Wednesday evening (an hour earlier than our summer hours.)
See you up there!

Send a message to learn more

We are currently live on our YouTube channel! The visible eclipse will start in about 30 minutes.
08/28/2026

We are currently live on our YouTube channel! The visible eclipse will start in about 30 minutes.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/18/2026

The NIU Observatory will be open tomorrow night from 9-11pm for our last night of our summer hours! This week we'll be be veiwing planet Venus and first quarter moon.
Then don't forget next week we'll have our special late night hours on Thurs 8/27 to veiw the lunar eclipse, and then we'll switch to Wednesday evenings from 8-10 for our public hours beginning in September.
See you up there!
https://www.facebook.com/share/1967G1LecV/

Send a message to learn more

This Wednesday will be the peak of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower! While the observatory will be open from 9-11 for o...
08/11/2026

This Wednesday will be the peak of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower! While the observatory will be open from 9-11 for our public hours, we are NOT the best place to view a meteor shower! Meteors can be seen across the entire sky, while the telescope is great for focusing in on one particular spot. The best way to view the shower is to find a nice open space with lots of clear, dark sky and bring a blanket and pillow (and a beverage of your choice) so you can lie back to see the entire sky. The new moon means it will be nice and dark but it does look like we'll have some cloud cover, especially after midnight. Hopefully everyone gets a chance to see at least a few good ones!

It's a beautiful sunny day out today so we thought we'd snap a nice solar photo to share. Barely a spot to be seen toda...
08/07/2026

It's a beautiful sunny day out today so we thought we'd snap a nice solar photo to share. Barely a spot to be seen today!

08/03/2026

The forecast is looking stormy for this Wednesday's (8/5) public hours. For now we're still planning to be up there from 9-11pm to do tours and show off photos, but it doesn't look like we'll be able to open the dome for any observations.

07/28/2026

The forecast looks clear and cool for tomorrow (7/29) night's public hours from 9-11pm. This week we'll be watching Venus as it sets in the west, and the full moon as it rises in the east. See you up there!

07/14/2026

The NIU Observatory will be open this Wednesday (7/15) from 9-11pm for public hours. This week we'll be observing planet Venus until it sets, and then we'll be looking at some of the brighter stars that are out. See you up there!

Send a message to learn more

07/06/2026

Looks like clear skies for this Wednesday's (7/8) public hours from 9-11pm. Jupiter has moved close to the sun over the last few weeks, and is now setting too early for us to see. However, Venus is nearing it's maximum elongation from the sun and is currently visible from sunset until around 10pm. Once Venus sets we'll be viewing a selection of some of the brighter summer stars, including the double star Mizar and Aclor.
See you up there!

Address

218 Normal Road/Davis Hall
Dekalb, IL
60115

Opening Hours

8pm - 10pm

Telephone

+18157531953

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when NIU Observatory posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to NIU Observatory:

Shortcuts

Share