Holcomb Observatory & Planetarium
![Holcomb observatory from the right side](https://www.butler.edu/arts-sciences/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/11/Observatory-49092.jpg)
Butler University’s first telescope, a 6-inch refractor, was donated to the University in the late 1880s and has been refurbished several times—most recently in 2014. The main telescope currently used is the 38-inch Cassegrain, which was built along with Holcomb Observatory in 1954.
![Telescope at Butler University](https://www.butler.edu/arts-sciences/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/11/studentswithtelescope0316-044.jpg)
For more than 130 years, Butler has provided unique astronomical learning experiences for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
![construction of Holcomb Observatory. a crane delivers a piece of roof](https://www.butler.edu/arts-sciences/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/11/DSC_0959.jpg)
Visit Us
You can explore the cosmos at Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium rain or shine. Watch a fulldome immersive feature planetarium program, then travel through our Galaxy, learn stories about the stars and constellations in our night sky, and then look through Indiana’s largest telescope (weather permitting).