Albert G. Ingalls Papers
name: label: Creator
content: Porter, Russell W.
label: Creator
content: Ingalls, Albert G., 1888-1958 (astronomer, editor)
label: Former owner
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Electricity and Modern Physics
place: label: Place
content: Mt. Palomar, California
topic: label: Topic
content: Astronomy -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Telescope -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Telescope makers -- 20th century
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Jeremy G. Ingalls and Joan V. Ingalls,  July 1985.
creator: label: Creator
content: Porter, Russell W.
label: Creator
content: Ingalls, Albert G., 1888-1958 (astronomer, editor)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Albert G. Ingalls Papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection documents Albert G. Ingallsrole as an editor for the  "Scientific American" (specifically a column on amateur astronomy)  primarily through correspondence and other publications.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Albert G. Ingalls (1888-1958) served in World War I; later as an editor of Scientific American, he conducted a regular column on amateur astronomy. Educated at Cornell University, Ingalls was a life-time astronomy and telescope-making enthusiast. In his editorial capacity he corresponded with hundreds of amateur and professional astronomers and other scientists in the U.S. and many other countries.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 8.7 Cubic feet (27 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1920-1956
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0175
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Clippings
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Don Darroch, 1985.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Ingalls correspondence collection, while centered on problems of telescope construction, is by no means exclusively concerned with it. Over the years, in his editorial role and through many personal contacts, Ingalls developed continuing friendships which were maintained through voluminous correspondence. The letters often dealt with non-scientific subjects, sometimes quite personal in nature. They were often very informal in style and in the case of correspondents who were particularly close friends, were sometimes conducted on the basis of private nicknames, slang and "in-jokes."

In addition to letters, the Ingalls collection includes numerous copies of publications, reprints, and clippings often related to the subject matter of the correspondence. There are also drafts and final versions of Ingalls' columns from the Scientific American and from other publications. The collection also includes rough sketches of telescope components as well as blueprints and many photographs of equipment and individuals.

Prominent among Ingalls' correspondents was Russell W. Porter, a versatile scientist and artist who participated in Arctic exploration in the early 1900's and later became a professional maker of telescope mirrors and the author of numerous articles on the field. Porter's greatest contribution was as a member of the team which designed and constructed the 200-inch telescope at Mt. Palomar, California. Ingalls, 17 years Porter's junior, helped to publicize Porter's writings. Utilizing Porter's material as well as information from many other sources, Ingalls published in 1926 a book, Amateur Telescope Making, which went through 14 printings and 4 editions by 1959.