A special First Friday Open House and Fundraiser will be held at DePauw’s McKim Observatory on Friday, October 4 from 8 to 10 p.m., as Saturn and Jupiter will be available for viewing along with the waxing moon.

Any one of these objects would be stunning to see through the historic Clark telescope, but to have this triumvirate available will be, in the words of DePauw Astronomy Professor Alex Komives, “mind blowing.” Even if the evening sky has clouds, there will still be plenty worth viewing inside the landmark structure.

The facility was built in 1884, thanks largely to the donation of $10,000 by Robert McKim, and became listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This past spring the National Park Service added special statewide significance to the building, which was the first observatory in the state of Indiana.

Despite its stellar status, the McKim Observatory still needs friends at home. Although it is a global star, continuing upkeep and maintenance are an ongoing issue for the DePauw-owned facility.

Local artist Dennis Boothby chose to make the observatory a subject for one of his drawings. Sketched on paper with charcoal and colored pencil, he characterizes the building on a wintry Indiana day, with the shades of the stucco sides subtly relating to the landscape and sky surrounding it.

The piece is matted and framed under glass, and measures approximately 9-1/2” x 11”. As a fundraiser, whoever makes the largest donation to the McKim will be awarded this picture. The opportunity to make a tax-deductible gift will be offered at the Heritage Preservation Society of Putnam County booth at First Friday, October 4, 5-8 p.m. and immediately following at the McKim open house 8-10 p.m.