Dyer Observatory

Watch “The Mighty Sky,” a special event at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory featuring a presentation by Leland Melvin, NASA associate administrator for education and two-time Space Shuttle astronaut, with music from an upcoming album of the same name performed by Nashville-based singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman and Nashville-based musicians The Long Players. Read More

On Tuesday, June 5, Dyer Observatory trained its solar telescope onto the sun to observe the Venus transit. In addition to capturing this once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event for posterity, the telescope caught something else – something that the Dyer staff has yet to identify. Read More

The Dyer Observatory is calling all science sleuths to help identify an unknown object spotted on June 5. Read More

Tom Kimmel and Pierce and Grace Pettis will headline the June 16 Bluebird on the Mountain concert at scenic Dyer Observatory. Read More

Hundreds gathered at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory June 5 to witness the historic transit of Venus across the sun. (Daniel Dubois/Vanderbilt) About 500 people gathered at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory June 5 to see the 2012 transit of Venus across the sun, an event that astronomers say won’t happen… Read More

At 5:04 p.m. June 5, the planet Venus passed directly in front of the sun. The transit of Venus is extremely rare, occurring twice in eight-year periods more than 100 years apart. The most recent transit of Venus was in 2004, and it will not happen again until the year… Read More

The transit of Venus across the sun this Tuesday is a rare astronomical event, and will not happen again for more than 100 years. Read More

Members of the Nashville Opera will be the featured performers at the third Opera on the Mountain concert Saturday, June 2, at Vanderbilt’s Dyer Observatory. The performance will include selections from Guys and Dolls, Camelot and Phantom of the Opera. Read More

Singer-songwriters Lionel Cartwright, Allen Shamblin and Chuck Cannon will be the featured performers at the season opener of the Bluebird on the Mountain concert series at Dyer Observatory May 19. Read More

Rocky Alvey (John Russell/Vanderbilt) Around the time Rocky Alvey turned 52, he decided he was going to write one song per week for a year. So he did. Mostly in his truck. Commuting usually isn’t the most rewarding part of anyone’s day, but Alvey’s journey between home and… Read More

Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory Director Rocky Alvey celebrated two things he cares about deeply at the United Nations on April 12: music and astronomy. Rocky Alvey (John Russell/Vanderbilt) Singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman and Alvey’s collaborative album project The Mighty Sky was featured at the U.N.’s celebration of… Read More

L-r: Carl Seyfert, Board of Trust Chairman W.L. Hemingway, Arthur J. Dyer and Chancellor Harvie Branscomb on the observatory grounds circa 1952. Image courtesy of Vanderbilt University Special Collections & University Archives Vanderbilt alumnus Arthur J. Dyer came from humble beginnings but rose to prominence as one of Nashville’s… Read More

Virginia Shepherd (Vanderbilt University) Virginia Shepherd, professor of pathology and science education at Vanderbilt, will discuss Nobel Prize-awarded women from several aspects – their educational backgrounds and opportunities, their families, their scientific contributions and their acceptance by colleagues – on Thursday, March 29, at Vanderbilt… Read More

Two summer camp fairs will be held in February to help staff and faculty learn more about the many camps in the area for school-age children. Representatives from numerous camps will be on site to speak with parents. Those scheduled to attend… Read More

Jack Tempchin, Crystal Bowersox and Rivers Rutherford will perform Saturday, Oct. 8 at Dyer Observatory in the final Bluebird on the Mountain concert of the 2011 season. Read More

Singer- songwriters Bob DiPiero, Al Anderson and Leslie Satcher will perform at Dyer Observatory Sept. 24 as part of the Bluebird on the Mountain concert series. Read More

Singer-songwriters Dave Berg, George Teren and Annie Mosher take the spotlight Saturday, Aug. 20th, at historic Dyer Observatory for the fourth Bluebird on the Mountain concert of the 2011 season. Read More

Singer-songwriters Jon Randall, Jessi Alexander and Shane McAnally will perform in concert Saturday, June 18, at Dyer Observatory. Read More

Art, food, culture and adventure await you on Vanderbilt's campus. Read More

Dyer Observatory (Neil Brake/Vanderbilt) Make reservations online or by calling (615) 832-5242 Vanderbilt’s Dyer Observatory will again host the Nashville Opera for a very special evening of music at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 4. The concert will take place in the observatory’s patio tent and guests… Read More