Philosophy
Well, here are reels #2 and #3 of some historical footage of the construction of the Palomar Observatory. Unfortunately reel #1 has not been digitized as this time.
The Online Archive of California is an initiative of the California Digital Library.
Historical Note:
Palomar Observatory is located in San Diego County, California, 90 miles (140 km) southeast of Pasadena's Mount Wilson Observatory, in the Palomar Mountain Range. At approximately 5,570 feet (1,700 m) elevation, it is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology. Research time is granted to Caltech's faculty and staff members and to research partners, which include the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Cornell University. The 200-inch Hale reflecting telescope is the principal instrument at the Palomar Observatory. It was built by Caltech with a 6-million dollar grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. The historic 200-inch mirror was manufactured using a Pyrex blank by Corning Glass Works, in Corning, New York, and was shipped by rail to Pasadena for grinding and polishing. It was the vision and effort of the astronomer George Ellery Hale that caused the project to be funded and to go forward. The building of the 200-inch telescope was easily the most famous scientific undertaking of the 1930s. From the beginning, everyone associated with the project realized that the work must be done right or not at all. Every task associated with the Palomar project required a considerable extension of the technology of the day. In an article in the April 1928 issue of Harper's Magazine, George Hale set forth the case for the building of what was to become the 200-inch Palomar reflector. The purpose of this article was to inform the American public about his proposal to construct the largest telescope in the world to answer questions relating to the fundamental nature of the universe. Hale hoped that the American people would understand and support his project. George Ellery Hale died in 1938 and did not live to see the completion of his last and biggest telescope. In June 1948 the 200-inch reflector was dedicated to his memory. The telescope (the largest in the world at that time) saw first light on January 26, 1949, targeting NGC 2261. Russell W. Porter was primarily responsible for the striking Art Deco architecture of the Observatory's buildings, most notably the dome of the 200-inch Hale telescope. Porter was also responsible for much of the technical design of the telescope, producing a series of remarkable cross-section engineering drawings that are considered among the finest examples of such work. Porter worked on the designs in collaboration with many engineers and Caltech committee members. The iconic, gleaming white building on Palomar Mountain that houses the 200-inch Hale telescope is considered by many to be "The Cathedral of Astronomy."
You can download or view at...
Internet Archives
Enter "Palomar Observatory" in the blog's search engine for more material.
- Hale Telescope..."first Light" On January 26th, 1949
An historic moment from the past. The Hale Telescope saw is first light on January 26th. 1949 on Mount Palomar. On this occasion, the renowned Edwin Hubble had the honors of directing the telescope to his chosen object, which was a nebula previously...
- Pbs Palomar Documentary
The Moon Is Up by Alfred Noyes The moon is up, the stars are bright. the wind is fresh and free! We're out to seek the gold tonight across the silver sea! The world is growing grey and old: break out the sails again! We're out to see a Realm of...
- Pbs--palomar Observatory
Tonight on most PBS stations...a history of the world-famous Palomar Observatory. The Journey To Palomar: America's first journey into space October 2nd, 1608/October 3rd, 1947...optics/telescope Palomar Observatory...
- October 2nd, 1608/october 3rd, 1947...optics/telescope
Wired... October 2nd, 1608: ...officials in the Netherlands pondered over a patent application. It was submitted by spectacle-maker Hans Lippershey for a "device by means of which all things at a very great distance can be seen as if they were nearby."...
- Palomar Observatory
Earth has witnessed many gigantic features: Dinosaurs, pyramids, sky scrapers...and telescopes. These gigantic features succumb to evolution, external circumstances, limitations of effectiveness, and better technology. The Palomar/Hale telescope is indeed...
Philosophy
Palomar Observatory...1940 footage of construction
Well, here are reels #2 and #3 of some historical footage of the construction of the Palomar Observatory. Unfortunately reel #1 has not been digitized as this time.
The Online Archive of California is an initiative of the California Digital Library.
Historical Note:
Palomar Observatory is located in San Diego County, California, 90 miles (140 km) southeast of Pasadena's Mount Wilson Observatory, in the Palomar Mountain Range. At approximately 5,570 feet (1,700 m) elevation, it is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology. Research time is granted to Caltech's faculty and staff members and to research partners, which include the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Cornell University. The 200-inch Hale reflecting telescope is the principal instrument at the Palomar Observatory. It was built by Caltech with a 6-million dollar grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. The historic 200-inch mirror was manufactured using a Pyrex blank by Corning Glass Works, in Corning, New York, and was shipped by rail to Pasadena for grinding and polishing. It was the vision and effort of the astronomer George Ellery Hale that caused the project to be funded and to go forward. The building of the 200-inch telescope was easily the most famous scientific undertaking of the 1930s. From the beginning, everyone associated with the project realized that the work must be done right or not at all. Every task associated with the Palomar project required a considerable extension of the technology of the day. In an article in the April 1928 issue of Harper's Magazine, George Hale set forth the case for the building of what was to become the 200-inch Palomar reflector. The purpose of this article was to inform the American public about his proposal to construct the largest telescope in the world to answer questions relating to the fundamental nature of the universe. Hale hoped that the American people would understand and support his project. George Ellery Hale died in 1938 and did not live to see the completion of his last and biggest telescope. In June 1948 the 200-inch reflector was dedicated to his memory. The telescope (the largest in the world at that time) saw first light on January 26, 1949, targeting NGC 2261. Russell W. Porter was primarily responsible for the striking Art Deco architecture of the Observatory's buildings, most notably the dome of the 200-inch Hale telescope. Porter was also responsible for much of the technical design of the telescope, producing a series of remarkable cross-section engineering drawings that are considered among the finest examples of such work. Porter worked on the designs in collaboration with many engineers and Caltech committee members. The iconic, gleaming white building on Palomar Mountain that houses the 200-inch Hale telescope is considered by many to be "The Cathedral of Astronomy."
You can download or view at...
Internet Archives
Enter "Palomar Observatory" in the blog's search engine for more material.
- Hale Telescope..."first Light" On January 26th, 1949
An historic moment from the past. The Hale Telescope saw is first light on January 26th. 1949 on Mount Palomar. On this occasion, the renowned Edwin Hubble had the honors of directing the telescope to his chosen object, which was a nebula previously...
- Pbs Palomar Documentary
The Moon Is Up by Alfred Noyes The moon is up, the stars are bright. the wind is fresh and free! We're out to seek the gold tonight across the silver sea! The world is growing grey and old: break out the sails again! We're out to see a Realm of...
- Pbs--palomar Observatory
Tonight on most PBS stations...a history of the world-famous Palomar Observatory. The Journey To Palomar: America's first journey into space October 2nd, 1608/October 3rd, 1947...optics/telescope Palomar Observatory...
- October 2nd, 1608/october 3rd, 1947...optics/telescope
Wired... October 2nd, 1608: ...officials in the Netherlands pondered over a patent application. It was submitted by spectacle-maker Hans Lippershey for a "device by means of which all things at a very great distance can be seen as if they were nearby."...
- Palomar Observatory
Earth has witnessed many gigantic features: Dinosaurs, pyramids, sky scrapers...and telescopes. These gigantic features succumb to evolution, external circumstances, limitations of effectiveness, and better technology. The Palomar/Hale telescope is indeed...