Chamberlin Observatory is an astronomical

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. H ...

owned and operated by the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...

. It is located in

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...

, Colorado (US) in Observatory Park. It is named for Humphrey B. Chamberlin, a Denver real estate magnate who pledged $50,000 in 1888 to build and equip the facility. The observatory building was designed by

Robert S. Roeschlaub Robert Sawers Roeschlaub (July 6, 1843 – October 25, 1923) was a noted Colorado architect. Biography Roeschlaub was born in Munich, Bavaria, Germany to Michael, private physician to the King of Bavaria, and Margaretta, his Scotland-born ...

, with the astronomical aspects and functions designed by Professor Herbert Alonzo Howe after he visited many observatories in the east. It was modeled after the Goodsell Observatory at

Carleton College Carleton College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota. Founded in 1866, it had 2,105 undergraduate students and 269 faculty members in fall 2016. The 200-acre main campus is between Northfield and the 800-acre Cowlin ...

Northfield, Minnesota Northfield is a city in Dakota and Rice counties in the State of Minnesota. It is mostly in Rice County, with a small portion in Dakota County. The population was 20,790 at the 2020 census. History Northfield was platted in 1856 by John W. ...

, and constructed from rusticated red sandstone blocks. The Romanesque structure includes a central rotunda and domed roof. Construction began in 1890. The 20-inch objective lens for the observatory's main

refracting telescope A refracting telescope (also called a refractor) is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image (also referred to a dioptric telescope). The refracting telescope design was originally used in spyglasses and ...

was made by

Alvan Clark & Sons Alvan Clark & Sons was an American maker of optics that became famous for crafting lenses for some of the largest refracting telescopes of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1846 in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, by Alvan Clark (1804&n ...

, and the mount was built by George Nicholas Saegmuller. The mount rests on a cast iron pillar which is in turn supported by a massive stone pier. Assembly of the telescope was supervised by Professor Herbert Alonzo Howe. The telescope saw first light in 1894. As of 2018, the Denver Astronomical Society hosts several public outreach events at the observatory every month. As it is located in a large metropolitan area, the observatory is heavily affected by light pollution, which limits its use in scientific research. The observatory was built during the golden era of great refractors in the late 19th century. The discovery of the

Moons of Mars The two moons of Mars are Phobos and Deimos. They are irregular in shape. Both were discovered by American astronomer Asaph Hall in August 1877 and are named after the Greek mythological twin characters Phobos (fear and panic) and Deimos ( ...

in 1877 using a 26-inch refractor, and several failed reflector projects, contributed to the popularity of refractor telescopes at that time. However, this era only lasted for ten years before the shift toward big reflectors occurred.

References

External links

Chamberlin Observatory Clear Sky Chart
Forecasts of observing conditions.
Denver Astronomical Society Public Outreach
Includes events at the observatory {{Authority control Astronomical observatories in Colorado 1890 establishments in Colorado National Register of Historic Places in Denver University of Denver Education in Denver Tourist attractions in Denver University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Colorado

See also

References

External links