Certified dark-sky park

Yerkes Observatory

WI, United States · Suburban sky skies

Find on DarkSky.org →Open in Maps

Plan this sky

Save the place, open the map, or continue into a stay once the route is worth it.

Open mapsOpen in appBrowse stays
Best use
Moonset windows, route checks, and local light conditions
Planning signal
Worth timing around moonset
Route context
No nearby Stella stay in the current catalog

About this place

Overview
Birthplace of modern astrophysics; 40-inch refractor; recently restored
Horizon
Lakeside setting; trees and buildings limit low horizon
Region
WI, United States
Nearest city
~30 km of light pollution

Designation & sky

Type
Dark-Sky Park
Designation
Observatory
Sky quality
Bortle 5 · Suburban sky

Official links

Verify hours, access, and current conditions before you go.

Next steps

Build the trip around this sky.

Jump to astronomy stays, eclipse paths, and observing guides while keeping this place in context.

Dark-sky mapFind protected places

Browse parks, reserves, communities, observatories, and planetariums by darkness and region.

Open routeEclipse travelCompare eclipse paths

Use the 2024-2035 catalog to pair path timing with nearby dark-sky stays.

Open routeStargazing staysSleep near the sky

Explore observatory hotels, aurora lodges, astrofarms, and dark-sky resorts.

Open routeTonight guideKnow what to look for

Start with the practical guide, then use Stella for the exact window where you are.

Open route

Stargazing near nearby cities

Use city guides to compare drive time, nearby stays, and darker alternatives around this place.

Browse cities →

On the map

More dark-sky places

Keep exploring protected skies like this one.

Browse all →
  • Dark-Sky Park · MT, United States · Bortle 1Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
    View →
  • Dark-Sky Park · MT, United States · Bortle 1Bob Marshall Wilderness
    View →
  • Dark-Sky Park · MN, United States · Bortle 1Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
    View →
  • Dark-Sky Park · ID, United States · Bortle 1Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve
    View →
  • Dark-Sky Park · NM, United States · Bortle 1Cosmic Campground
    View →
  • Dark-Sky Park · AK, United States · Bortle 1Denali National Park
    View →