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From the Hilltop: Reflections by Director Jessica Ingram
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Dear friends,
This is one of my favorite times of year at Dyer. The colors are changing, the sunsets are incredible and there’s something so peaceful about the breeze rustling through the fall leaves.
Last week, I was sitting on the back patio of Muriel’s Retreat when I sensed an animal nearby. A buck with beautiful antlers stood looking at me. After a few moments, he settled into the grass, both of us at ease on this quiet hilltop.
That evening, under an incredibly clear sky, I looked at the moon with Billy, learning about its craters, mountains and ancient magma flows while marveling at its sheer beauty.
I’ve been thinking about those encounters ever since. One was just a few feet away, the other hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth. Both were hard to look away from. Here on this hilltop, there is so much beauty to be found, whether we're looking up or simply looking around.
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Photo by: Dr. Billy Teets
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Saturn's Got Its Shine Back
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The "lord of the rings" has returned to the evening sky! Look east just after sunset, and you’ll spot bright, cream-colored Saturn. If it seems a little brighter this year, you’re not imagining things. Saturn is about 30% brighter than it was last year, thanks to its magnificent rings.
Saturn takes 29.5 years to travel around the Sun, and our view of its rings changes along the way. In 2025, the icy, razor-thin rings appeared nearly edge-on from Earth, making Saturn look like it had been skewered by a giant toothpick! With less sunlight reflecting off the rings, the planet appeared dimmer than usual.
Now, the rings are tilting back into view, reflecting more sunlight toward Earth. Over the next six years, Saturn will grow even brighter. By 2032, it will outshine all but two stars in the night sky!
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New Look. New Season. More to Experience.
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Gather Somewhere Special This Holiday Season
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Looking for a holiday party venue that's anything but ordinary? Celebrate the season at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory!
Trade the usual party backdrop for scenic hilltop views, historic charm and a memorable setting that brings people together.
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Next Month's
Astro Calendar
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Your Monthly Guide to the Night Sky
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Nature notes and seasonal discoveries from Nathan Griffin, Dyer's Facilities Manager and arborist in training
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Standing dead trees, also called snags, are valuable parts of a healthy forest. Although no longer living, they continue to provide food and shelter for many forms of life. A single oak can support hundreds of species over its lifetime. Even after it dies, the standing trunk provides habitat for fungi, insects, birds, mammals and other organisms.
Because Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory borders Radnor Lake State Park, keeping suitable snags helps extend valuable woodland habitat beyond the park’s boundaries.
Snags also play an important role in the natural life cycle of a forest. Fungi and insects slowly break down the wood, returning nutrients to the soil. Snags provide perches and nesting places for birds. Over time, they may fall to the forest floor, where the logs provide food and shelter for insects, amphibians and other wildlife.
By allowing this natural cycle to occur in appropriate areas of our property, we can support biodiversity while giving visitors a chance to observe how forests change over time.
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Make a Gift to Dyer Observatory
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The Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory is a nonprofit organization sustained by the generosity of the university community, friends and neighbors. Your gift will make a tremendous difference in our efforts to bring science and exploration to the next generation.
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