Gaze at the night sky through our telescopes! Weather permitting, view the Moon, planets, star clusters, and other astronomical objects. Telescope sessions are free and open to the public.
Telescope sessions take place on select dates on the UWM Physics Building 5th Floor Skydeck as well as in other locations for special events. The latest schedule is below.
In the event of inclement weather (rain, snow, cloudiness, temperatures below 0° F), we will instead offer an indoor stargazing show in the Planetarium (Physics Building Room 139).
Outdoor Telescope Stargazing Schedule
| DATE | TIME | STATUS | LOCATION | PLANETARIUM EVENT* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, September 19, 2026 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Scheduled | Physics Building – Front Lawn | Observe the Moon Night |
| Tuesday, October 20, 2026 | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Scheduled | Physics Building – Rooftop | |
| Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Scheduled | Physics Building – Rooftop | |
| Thursday, December 10, 2026 | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Scheduled | Physics Building – Rooftop |
Location & Parking
Address
The Rooftop Skydeck is located on the 5th floor of the UW-Milwaukee Physics building:
UWM Physics Building Skydeck (5th Floor)
1900 E Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, WI, 53211
Follow signs to take the elevator at the east end of the Physics building to the 3rd floor and continue up two flights of stairs to the roof. Unfortunately, the Skydeck is not wheelchair accessible.
Accessibility
Unfortunately, our rooftop stargazing deck is not wheelchair accessible.
Maps
Parking
There is no free parking on campus. Please allow extra time to park when you visit.
Cunningham Lot parking is available for purchase just north of the Physics building. The entrance is at the corner of Cramer and Hartford. Please be sure to avoid the spots that are for permit holders (they say “This spot is reserved for staff/faculty”). The spots are $1.50/hour (as of September 2024).
You may be able to find street parking (both metered and free) but be sure to read the street signs for restrictions.
Payment for parking spots can be done by using the Parkmobile smartphone app or pay stations located on the perimeter of the lot. Purchase a parking ticket from one of the booths by entering your license plate number and the amount of time you will be parked. The booth accepts cash, Visa, and Mastercard.
For additional information, please visit Transportation Services.
Transportation
The Green Line and 66 bus routes have stops near the Physics building. Other nearby routes with on-campus stops are the Red Line, Gold Line, and 30. For more info see the MCTS website.
About Our Telescope
Thanks to a generous donation we received in 2018, we equipped our 14-inch Celestron telescope with a computerized mount on the Skydeck. The Paramount MX+ mount allows us to go to objects near and far with the push of a button. Once there, it will track the object as it moves across the sky throughout the night.
Stargazing Apps
Stellarium (iOS/Android) Free!
Our staff uses Stellarium regularly. Just point your phone to the sky to locate or identify stars, constellations, planets, and other night sky objects. You can even scroll through time to see how these objects appear at different times of the year.
Star Walk 2 (iOS) $2.99
Star Walk 2 is a great premium stargazing app that comes with a variety of useful features. Just point your phone to the sky to locate or identify stars, constellations, and planets. You can even scroll through time to see how these objects move across the sky.
Star Chart (iOS/Android) Free!
Star Chart is a great free alternative to Star Walk 2. It doesn’t come with quite as many features but works just as well. It’s a great tool for aspiring astronomers.
ISS Spotter (iOS) Free!
This 5-star rated app on Apple’s App Store tracks the location of the International Space Station (ISS). You can set an alarm that will notify you shortly before the station will pass overhead so that you won’t miss it!
ISS Detector Satellite Tracker (Android) Free!
This Google Play Store app tracks the location of the International Space Station (ISS). You can set an alarm to be notified shortly before the ISS passes overhead as well as check if weather conditions are optimal for spotting the station.
SkyMap (Windows) $1.49
SkyMap for Windows phone is a great tool for aspiring astronomers. Just point your phone to the sky to learn more about stars, constellations, and planets. The app has a free trial available to try out first.