The Racine Astronomical Society was established in 1956 to promote interest in astronomy among amateurs and the Racine area public. Membership is open to anyone interested in astronomy.
Modine-Benstead Observatory
We invite you to come to one of our public nights and view the heavens through our telescopes. We will have the club’s telescopes open and many of the club’s members will have their telescopes available to view through. Depending on what is up each night, we will view the moon, planets, and many deep sky objects. Come out and take a look back in time. For example, when you view the Andromeda galaxy, you are looking back in time 2.5 million years.
Public Nights
Public Night Open Houses
- Held monthly, April through October.
- Free admission and parking.
- Check the observatory voicemail on open house nights – if skies are cloudy, a cancellation message will be posted.
Donations Welcome
We are a volunteer-run non-profit organization. A small donation during you visit helps cover yearly maintenance and care of the observatory.
You can also make a donation with PayPal by clicking the button below.
Family-Friendly
- Children are welcome, but we ask that you keep young children close by because the grounds are dark for better seeing.
- Please instruct children to be respectful around all telescope equipment provided by members.
What You’ll See!
- Telescope equipment provided by members ranges from hundreds to thousands of dollars in value.
- Listening to someone describe viewing an object in our solar system through a telescope for the first time…. Priceless!
- Ask questions, part of our club mission is to educate and inspire each of you to participate in the world of amateur astronomy.
Patience Is Appreciated
On occasion we may have dozens of visitors waiting in line to observe at a particular telescope and your patience is greatly appreciated.
About Us
Location
We are located at the intersection of Hwy. A and 63rd Drive in Yorkville. We recommend that you dress warmer than you think is needed, since on clear nights the daytime temperature drops quickly.
