Goethe Link Observatory: A stargazer's paradise

Morgan County is home to one the state's earliest and largest astronomical observatories.

The Goethe Link Observatory was built in 1937-1939 for the private use of Dr. Goethe Link.

Dr. Link was a prominent surgeon from Indianapolis who had a passion for astronomy. The observatory was later donated to the Indiana University School of Astronomy in 1948 and was used for research until the mid-1980’s, when the light pollution from Indianapolis began to hinder the research.

Dr. Link's wife, Helen Link, also created what has also become a popular annual springtime tradition for gardeners and flower enthusiasts throughout the region. She developed an affinity for daffodils and developed a wide variety of the spring bloom during the time she and her husband used the observatory grounds. Along the way, she planted fields of daffodils, creating what is now known as the Helen Link Daffodil Gardens, which can be enjoyed each April by the public.

The observatory facility is now home to the Link Observatory Space Science Institute, which was founded in 2012. The observatory is jointly operated by Indiana University School of Astronomy, the Link Observatory Space Science Institute, and the Indiana Astronomical Society. The Observatory continues to serve the community by providing community education to the general public as well as schools. This includes monthly open houses at the observatory, depending on weather.

Check the website for upcoming community events at https://www.linkobservatory.org/observatory.html.

The observatory is located at 8402 Observatory Road, north of Martinsville.

(Prepared by the Morgan County Leadership Academy Class of 2022 on behalf of the Morgan County Bicentennial Committee)