Astronomy Adventures in Oakland County

Summer is the perfect time for adventures and discovery! In Oakland County, the night sky presents a constant source of wonder and awe. There are many fun ways to delve a little deeper into the world of astronomy because the county is well equipped with observatories, planetariums, and astronomy clubs.

Find the best places in and around Oakland County to view the stars with our interactive star gazing map and grab a telescope to observe the worlds above us. Check out the cavernous craters of the Moon, the massive mountains nestled on Mars, or the rings on Saturn radiating light into the night sky. The possibilities for discovery are endless.

Visible Astronomical Events in Oakland County

This summer, there will be a handful of astronomical events that will be visible in Oakland County.

July 27th – July 30th – Mars at Its Brightest

Mars will be especially close to the Earth in 2018. This is the biggest and brightest Mars will be since 2003, and it won’t be this close to us again until 2035. Its brightest peak will be between July 27th and July 30th.

SKYCHART BY A. FAZEKAS

August 12th – 13th – Perseid Meteor Shower

The annual meteor shower regularly produces 60 shooting stars an hour at its peak. It will be visible in Oakland County.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BABAK TAFRESHI, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Observatories

Auburn Hills – McMath-Hulbert Astronomical Society 

Bloomfield Hills – Cranbrook Institute of Science

Leonard – Addison Oaks County Park Observing Site

Ray – Stargate: Warren Astronomical Society

Rochester – Rochester College

Planetariums

Bloomfield Hills – Acheson: Cranbrook Institute of Science

Rochester – Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve 

Southfield –Friends of Vollbrecht

Astronomy Clubs

Auburn Hills – McMath-Hulbert Astronomical Society 

Brighton – Ford Amateur Astronomy Club

Dryden – Seven Ponds Astronomy Club 

Northville – Ford Amateur Astronomy Club 

Rochester – Oakland Astronomy Club 

Events

Cranbrook Institute of Science: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays – Michigan Sky Tonight

Addison Oaks County Park: Sunday, August 11th – Cosmic Commotion


Do you know of any other astronomy activities in the Oakland County area? Let us know via Facebook or Twitter, contact us at socialmedia@oakgov.com, or leave a comment below.

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