New-York tribune., 1905-11-12
Up TO Date OBSERVATORY
The One Just Completed at
amherst College.

Mass. IL
turn from Tripoli. whittier he journeyed to view
tho eclinse Professor David P. Todd found the new
Amherst observatory. which has been under con-
structon for moro than two years. ready Tor occu-
pancy The building is of brick. trimmed with "hi'e
tombstone The general design is great central
drne hanked by smaller one, EVentually the
central dome will be in the centre OF TWO smaiie.
doroes but for the present the one side wing VIII
suffice for all college purposes
This newest of observatories is in many respects
the finest in New England. For instance, in the Dig
dome is mounted an 1s-inch refractng telescope
which is the largest in the East. the dome hsel1
measuring SO feet in diameter Besides TINS pow
erful sky searcher. the observatory has me L.
inch reflector presented to the college by the Key
DR. Albert J. Lyman. of Brooklyn and the oio i72-
inch refractor. removed from the old observatory
which stands on hill in the heart Of the Amherst
campus
An excellent site selected for the new build
ing 1t is on outskirts of the campus OVERLOOK
ing the Amherst athletic field on one side and
great stretch of the valley of the Connecticut On
the other The mountains of the Holyoke range
in the distance add touch of grandeur to the scene
Near the observatory is a modern residence TOT
the professor of astronomy. who hnds Ii necessary
to be near his work at all times.
After IT was demonstrated that plenty OF funds
would be available Professor Todd visited many
of the observatories of Europe, that Amhersts
new observatory might be UP to date In WORKING
out the plans with the architects he applied many
of his own ideas. and several OF MS iiNeii'io'.S
show in the delicate instruments which have been
,,,,r+ed I'm the new structure. For twenty years
it has been the dream his life to have modern
structure for his collection OF priceless 1nstru-
ments In fact, all but $4,000 of the $4,000 which
has been expended on the new observatory was
raised by him.
The big glass which promises to make astron-
omicaI history for Amherst secured by Pro-
fessor Todd years ago from NJ Mantos In
Paris. It put In the hands of Alvan Clark,
OF Cambridge. for grinding and polishing. and by
him pronounced the finest glass of its size which
has ever come into this country. This 1s-inch
glass has tube "a feet long and a clocSwork at
tachment for carrying the telescope so that IL Will
follow any star for which 1t is set without error.
The big dome has weather girdle of felt TO
protect the delicate instruments within from in
jury by dust, damp weather or fogs There Is a
superb view of the Amherst region from the top
of the dome. A gallery has been erected there
from which meteor showers may be observed.
Work in cloud photography by the use of a mod
ern ray filter wifi also be carried on from this
| elevation.
The small east dome holds the 1852 telescope
which taken from the old observatory where
many important discoveries made. Below
this dome there is room for the director and for
the library of 1.5O0 volumes which Professor Todd
has collected.
There is q big clock room. and adjoining it
transit room, In which a 61a-inch Martins transit
is mounted. It specially made in Germany and
is of the longest in the country It will be
useful in determining the latitude and longi-
tude Of the observatory and in work the declina
tions from the zenith. Beneath the transit is
a Photographic dark room. with every modern
venience. =2-r-
novelty Is the gravity chamber. which is forty
feet below the surface of the observatory grounds
It will be used in all gravity work in the study of
earthquakes, and horology. All Of the mechanical
arrangements from shutters observing chairs
of the latest pattern.
is the intention of the director OF the observa-
tory to have a notable grove about the new build
ing. Visitors of prominence who Amherst
will be asked to set out trees When the ground
for the new building was broken May ., 1903
George W. Gable set out tree. Others who have
planted trees on the grounds Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe, Mrs. Alice Freeman Palmer. Miss Hildeearde
Hawthorne. DR.. Edward Everett Hale and Colonel
Thomas Wentworth Higgnson.