The observatory is open every Friday from 8:30 - 10pm during daylight savings and 7:30 - 10pm during standard time, weather permitting. It is also open on the first Sunday of the month from 1:00 - 4:00pm for safe viewing of the sun, weather permitting.
Observatory hours are subject to change based upon the current or expected weather conditions. For specific information about observatory hours, please call ahead at 248 645.3200, and press 3.
The Cranbrook Observatory is FREE with admission to the Institute.
In 2012, the observatory underwent a transformative upgrade that redefined the visitor experience. The project introduced three new telescopes, significant architectural enhancements to the viewing space, a new dome, and integration with the Acheson Planetarium - creating an astronomy experience unmatched anywhere in the Midwest. At its core is a remotely controllable, research-grade 20-inch CDK telescope, complemented by a 6-inch Takahashi refractor and a Lunt solar telescope, enabling enhanced nighttime observing as well as live views of the Sun. High-quality imaging cameras further expand these capabilities, allowing for real-time image capture and conversion into digital visuals that can be projected directly onto the planetarium dome.
Made possible by the generous support of the Mike and Adele Acheson family, these observatory enhancements complete the Institute’s comprehensive renovation of its astronomy infrastructure, which began the previous year with major planetarium upgrades. Since reopening in October 2011, the newly named Acheson Planetarium has offered visitors an immersive 360-degree audiovisual environment, featuring imagery that is three times brighter, sharper, and more color-saturated than before. A new energy-efficient “green” lighting system allows projection of any color in the visible spectrum, expanding creative and visual effects possibilities. Combined with upgraded sound systems and advanced projection technology, the result is the most intense and sophisticated planetarium experience in southeast Michigan.
Cranbrook Observatory telescopes.
This is a link to an indicator that attempts to show at a glance when, in the next 48 hours, clear and dark skies are expected for Cranbrook Institute of Science.
The forecast data comes from a numerical weather model run by Canadian Meteorological Centre.
Click on the link then read from left to right. Locate a column of blue blocks. That is when the sky will likely to be clear and dark.
Historically, Cranbrook's Observatory began in 1927, when George G. Booth was developing Cranbrook as a cultural and educational complex. Many people were involved in the project, but Judge Henry Schoolcraft Hulbert was one of the most outstanding.
Judge Hulbert was associated with the courts of Wayne County for 44-years. In 1887, at the age of 18, he built his own telescope and observatory near the present Wayne State University campus, and developed an excellent working knowledge of the sky.