Powell Observatory soon may have a new home in Miami County. The Astronomical Society of Kansas City, which owns and operates Powell Observatory at Louisburg’s Lewis-Young Park, recently purchased 19 and a half acres southeast of Louisburg in rural Miami County.
Powell Observatory was built in 1984, but has been searching for a new home for the past 13 years due to limited space on the 1-acre tract in Lewis-Young Park. It became very apparent earlier this month when hundreds of people visited to try to see a Green Comet that was last visible 50 thousand years ago.
The telescope is a Newtonian Reflector with a 30-inch diameter mirror, and it’s one of the largest telescopes open to the public in a five-state area. There are big plans for the new land, including a larger building, 100-seat auditorium, two telescopes, one of which would be ADA accessible, and a large outdoor observation area for members who bring their own telescopes.
