Have you noticed the interesting structure in Maple Grove, with a flat paved area surrounded by several columns? That’s the Uranidrome, a naked-eye observatory designed by MTSU professor Dr. Eric W. Klumpe. There are 12 astronomical experiments one can complete using this facility. Given this level of versatility, there is no other naked-eye observatory that can compare with it. The name “Uranidrome” is derived from the ancient Greek word uranus meaning “sky” and dromos meaning “walkway” or “circuit”.

Dr. Klumpe was inspired by the astronomy of the classical Greek period. It was during this period that the Greeks established that Earth is a sphere, that the sun is much farther away from Earth than the moon, that Earth is larger than the moon, and that the sun is much larger than either Earth or the moon. These observations led to their speculations that just as the smaller moon orbited the larger Earth, Earth must therefore orbit the sun. It is impressive that these conclusions were established over 2000 years ago!

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