Painesville Township near Mentor in Lake County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Birth of Neutrino Astronomy

Photographed by Craig Doda, May 2, 2026

1. The Birth of Neutrino Astronomy Marker

Inscription. Approximately 170.000 years ago, a star in a distant galaxy exploded in a supernova that sent neutrinos-sub-atomic particles-racing toward the Earth at near lightspeed. Neutrinos have tiny masses and are extremely difficult to capture. However, on February 23, 1987, the Irvine-Michigan-Brookhaven (IMB) detector located some 2,000 feet below the Morton Salt Mine did just that. Furthermore, this capture of neutrinos from outside our galaxy was simultaneously detected by another laboratory in Kamioka, Japan. These detections verified the theory of supernovae and are considered the birth of neutrino astronomy.

Erected 2023 by The Ohio Department Of Natural Resources. (Marker Number 05.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Science & Medicine. A significant historical date for this entry is February 23, 1987.

Location. 41° 45.33′ N, 81° 17.303′ W. Marker is near Mentor, Ohio, in Lake County. It is in Painesville Township. It is at the intersection of Williams Street and Heisley Road, on the right when traveling north on Williams Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address:

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54 Williams St, Mentor OH 44060, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cleveland,

on the Lake Erie Shore,

and in the Western Reserve.

It is also in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Welcome (approx. 0.2 miles away); From Pavement to Paradise (approx. 0.2 miles away); Restoring Wetlands for Clean Water H2Ohio (approx. ¼ mile away); First Iron Warship in US Navy Foremast (approx. 0.6 miles away); Spirit of Finland (approx. 0.6 miles away); Life Car (approx. 0.6 miles away); Walking Tour of the Lighthouse Grounds (approx. 0.6 miles away); Lighthouse View (approx. 0.6 miles away).

Photographed by Craig Doda, May 2, 2026

2. The Birth of Neutrino Astronomy Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 8, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 7, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 38 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 7, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.