Gaze at the night sky through our telescopes on select dates! Weather permitting, view the Moon, planets, star clusters, and other astronomical objects.

Stargazing sessions take place throughout the year on the Skydeck located on the rooftop of the UWM Physics building as well as in other locations for special events. See below for the latest schedule.

Events may be cancelled due to poor weather conditions or low sky visibility. Please check the event status on this page the day of the event before visiting. If cancelled, we will update the status on this page no later than 5:30pm on the day of the event.

Stargazing Schedule

DATETIMESTATUSLOCATIONPLANETARIUM SHOWS*
February 7, 20258 pm – 9 pmCANCELLEDPhysics RooftopScale of the Universe
February 14, 20258 pm – 9 pmScheduledPhysics RooftopConstellations of the Zodiac
April 4, 20258 pm – 9 pmScheduledPhysics RooftopStars in the Tropics
*Outdoor stargazing sessions are usually scheduled for after planetarium shows. Click the links to get tickets for the planetarium shows. Attending planetarium shows is optional: You are welcome to attend the outdoor stargazing sessions without attending the planetarium shows.

Rooftop Skydeck Location

UWM Physics Building Skydeck (5th floor)
1900 E Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, WI, 53211

Take the elevator at the east end of the Physics building to the 4th floor and continue left to the staircase that leads to the roof. Unfortunately, the Skydeck is not wheelchair accessible.


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.


Astronomy Resources

Clear Dark Sky – Stargazing Weather Reports (Milwaukee’s Chart)


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.

UWM resides on traditional Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, and Menominee homelands along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes, where the Milwaukee, Menominee, and Kinnickinnic rivers meet and the people of Wisconsin’s sovereign Anishinaabe, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Oneida, and Mohican nations remain present.