Ralph B. Baldwin Observatory
Ralph B. Baldwin Observatory
The Baldwin Observatory is located on the roof of Albertus, next to the greenhouse. To the delight of all AQ stargazers, this observatory is home to three telescopes, a 16", a 10", and an 8". Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or just curious about the stars, the Baldwin Observatory provides a unique opportunity to explore the wonders of the universe right on campus.
About Ralph B. Baldwin
Baldwin (1912 – 2010) had a long and eventful life as a professional astronomer, Grand Rapids businessman and community leader. While on the staff of the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University in the 1940s, he participated in the development of the radio proximity fuse, a tool vital to the Allied effort in World War II. He had a passionate interest in the study of the moon, leading to the publishing of two acclaimed books advocating that lunar craters are a result of meteoric impact and not volcanic activity. While at Northwestern University, he was also a lecturer at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium.
Baldwin eventually returned to his native Grand Rapids to assume the presidency of
the family business, Oliver Machinery, where he went on to further distinction in
the woodworking industry and as a community leader. This included being a member of
the board of directors of the Grand Rapids Public Museum in the 1960s. As an astronomer
and former planetarium lecturer, he played a key role in advocating for and financially
supporting the establishment of a planetarium at the Grand Rapids Public Museum in
1961. In 1967, the planetarium at the Jefferson Avenue location was named in honor
of fallen astronaut and Grand Rapids Native Roger B. Chaffee.
Baldwin later contributed to the fundraising effort that resulted in the establishment of an observatory atop an addition to the Albertus Hall of Science at Aquinas College. The facility was named the Ralph B. Baldwin Observatory in his honor at the time of its opening in the autumn, of 1994.
Historical Photos
