Truman State University Observatory: Stargazing in Kirksville

The Truman State University Observatory is a working astronomy facility at the Truman University Farm, roughly two miles southwest of the main campus.

It is both a research/teaching facility and a public-outreach site, but that does not mean it operates like a walk-in museum.

Public access is tied to scheduled observing events.

What equipment is at the Observatory?

Truman's current facilities page lists a 17-inch PlaneWave CDK17 telescope as the main observatory instrument.

The facility also includes:

• CCD cameras used for astronomy research;
• an automated dome;
• a weather station;
• cloud and rain sensors;
• remote-control capability.

That main setup supports university research and teaching.

For public outreach, Truman also lists:

• two eVScopes;
• several 6-inch reflector telescopes;
• an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain;
• a 10-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain;
• binoculars for solar-system and deep-sky viewing.

This separation is useful: the biggest telescope on the property is not automatically the telescope every visitor will look through at every public event.

Can the public visit?

Yes, through scheduled outreach events.

Truman publishes public stargazing opportunities on the Observatory website. The 2026 schedule includes events at the Observatory itself as well as programs at Thousand Hills State Park.

As of September 27, the remaining Observatory dates listed for fall 2026 include:

• October 16;
• October 29;
• November 9.

The live schedule should always be checked before leaving home because observing events depend heavily on weather.

Earlier 2026 events were canceled for poor conditions, which is exactly what should happen when clouds make an astronomy program impractical.

For a maintainable list of event sources rather than a permanent copied calendar, see Public Stargazing Events Around Kirksville.

What happens at a public observing event?

The answer depends on the sky.

Truman's schedule identifies example targets for each event. Fall 2026 listings include objects such as Saturn, the Andromeda Galaxy, the Ring Nebula, the Dumbbell Nebula and several globular clusters.

Outreach telescopes may be set up for visitors, and staff or students can help explain what is in the eyepiece.

An event is not a guarantee that every listed object will be visible. Clouds, haze, Moonlight and equipment conditions can change the plan.

How is this different from the planetarium?

The Observatory uses real telescopes to observe the actual sky.

The Del & Norma Robison Planetarium in Magruder Hall is an indoor dome theater where projected programs can show the sky, planets and astronomical concepts regardless of cloud cover.

Both are astronomy resources, but they solve different problems.

See The Del & Norma Robison Planetarium at Truman State for the indoor visitor experience.

Getting to the Observatory

Truman's current directions place the Observatory at the University Farm on Boundary Street.

The Observatory page gives driving directions from campus, the north and the south. Once inside the University Farm complex, visitors are told to use the large parking area among the farm buildings and walk the short lane toward the Observatory.

For an evening event, use the live Observatory directions instead of relying on an old map pin.

Do not show up assuming the building is open

The Observatory is an academic facility, not an all-hours public attraction.

The correct pattern is:

1. check the current event schedule;
2. check for weather cancellation;
3. follow the published directions and parking instructions;
4. attend during the stated public event window.

If you simply want a darker place to observe on your own, the access question is different. See Where to Go Stargazing in Kirksville.

For realistic expectations about what the telescope view will look like, see What You Can See Through a Telescope in Kirksville.