Dominion Astrophysical Observatory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dominion Astrophysical Observatory |
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| Alternative names | Observatoire fédéral d'astrophysique |
| General information | |
| Current tenants | National Research Council |
| Opened | 1918 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Edgar Lewis Horwood |
| Architecture firm | Dominion Architect of Canada |
| Official name: Dominion Astrophysical Observatory National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 2008 |
The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) is a famous place where scientists study space. It is located on Observatory Hill in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The Canadian government finished building it in 1918. Edgar Lewis Horwood was the architect who designed the building.
The main tool at the observatory is the Plaskett telescope. It has a huge mirror that is 72 inches (1.83 meters) wide. This telescope was designed by John S. Plaskett in 1910. The observatory is so important that it has been named a National Historic Site of Canada. Many discoveries about our galaxy, the Milky Way, were made here. Until the 1960s, it was one of the world's top places for astrophysical research.
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Exploring the Universe at DAO
The Centre of the Universe was a special place at the observatory. It was open to the public from May to September. Here, visitors could learn about astronomy through fun, interactive exhibits. They could also learn about the work done at the observatory.
The centre offered tours of the giant telescope. There were also shows in the planetarium and a video theatre. Sadly, the Canadian government closed the Centre of the Universe in August 2013. They said it was because of money problems.
Bringing Back Public Programs
In 2015, a group called the Friends of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory Society (FDAO) was formed. Their goal was to bring back the public programs that had stopped. In May 2016, the FDAO made an agreement with the National Research Council. This agreement allowed them to use the Centre of the Universe building again.
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Victoria Centre, also helps share astronomy with the public. They have been connected to the DAO since 1914. They hold free "Star Parties" at the observatory on some summer Saturday evenings. These events let people look at the sun and night sky using telescopes. They also include talks, lectures, and displays.
Building the Giant Telescope
The building that holds the Plaskett telescope was built by McAlpine-Robertson Company. It cost $75,000 at the time. Both the building and its dome have double walls. This helps protect the telescope. The dome was made by Warner and Swasey Co.
The Amazing Mirror
The telescope's huge glass mirror is 73 inches (185 cm) wide and 12 inches (30 cm) thick. It weighs about 4340 pounds (1970 kilograms)! The Saint-Gobain company in Belgium made the mirror. It was shipped just one week before World War I began.
The mirror was then polished in the United States at the John A. Brashear company in Pittsburgh. It had to be polished twice because of problems. First, there was a mysterious scratch. Then, there was a flaw in the polishing itself. These problems added two years to the telescope's completion time. This pushed the finish date back to 1918.
Once finished, the mirror traveled by train to Victoria. It arrived six days later. Then, horses and a wagon hauled the heavy mirror up Little Saanich Mountain.
How the Telescope is Used Today
After the telescope was finished, John S. Plaskett led the observatory until 1935. Today, the telescopes are still used all the time. Visitors can come to the observatory year-round.
A special tool called a spectrograph is attached to the telescope. This tool helps scientists study the light from stars. Another tool, a CCD camera, is also used to take pictures of space.
In 1962, another telescope was added to the observatory. This one has a 48-inch (122 cm) mirror. It was made by Grubb Parsons in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It also uses a large spectrograph to study light.
In 1995, the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory became the main office for the NRC Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics. This institute runs several Canadian telescopes, both optical and radio. They also work with international partners, like the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.
A World Record Telescope
The Plaskett telescope was planned to be the biggest in the world. However, there were delays in its construction. It saw its "first light" (meaning it was first used) on May 6, 1918. This was six months after the 100-inch Hooker telescope (2.5 meters) at Mount Wilson Observatory. The Hooker telescope first worked on November 1, 1917. But it also had delays, especially because of WW1.
At that time, most observatories still used older telescopes. These were usually only 1 to 2 feet wide. The idea of using larger mirrors (reflectors) was still quite new.
The Plaskett telescope was also bigger than the 72-inch (183 cm) metal mirror Leviathan of Parsonstown. That telescope was built in 1845 but taken apart by the 1910s.
The Plaskett telescope was the second largest in the world until 1935. That's when the 74-inch (188 cm) reflector at the David Dunlap Observatory in Canada started working.
Top Telescopes in 1918
Here are the two largest telescopes in the world in 1918:
| # | Name / Observatory |
Image | Aperture | Altitude | First Light |
Special advocate |
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| 1 | Hooker Telescope Mount Wilson Obs. |
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100 inch 254 cm |
1742 m (5715 ft) |
1917 | George Ellery Hale Andrew Carnegie |
| 2 | Plaskett telescope Dominion Astrophysical Obs. |
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72 inch 182 cm |
230 m (755 ft) |
1918 | John S. Plaskett |
The next largest telescopes were the 60-inch ones at Harvard College Observatory and Mount Wilson.
See also
In Spanish: Observatorio Astrofísico Dominion para niños
