Washburn Observatory facts for kids
| Location | Madison, Wisconsin, US |
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The Washburn Observatory is a special building where people study stars and planets. It's located at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. This observatory was finished in 1881. For about 50 years, it was a very important place for scientists to do research. Today, students learning about astronomy still use its telescope. The public can also visit during special open house events and viewings.
How the Observatory Began
The observatory is named after Cadwallader C. Washburn. He used to be the Governor of Wisconsin. In 1876, the Wisconsin government decided to help the University. Governor Washburn added a rule that set aside money. This money was for teaching astronomy and building an observatory. It was raised through property taxes, not state funds.
On September 18, 1877, John Bascom was the president of the University. He announced that Governor Washburn would provide an observatory. It would have a telescope even bigger than the one at Harvard. Washburn and the university leaders chose the location. They wanted it away from the city of Madison, Wisconsin. The university campus helped separate it.
The chosen spot was about 100 feet above Lake Mendota. It was on the north side of campus. At that time, vineyards and orchards surrounded it. Construction on the observatory began in May 1878. A company called Alvan Clark was hired to build the telescope. They decided the telescope would be 15.6 inches wide. This would make it the third largest in the United States at the time.
James C. Watson became the first director of the observatory. He helped finish the main building. He also found money for a student observatory and a solar observatory. Sadly, he passed away suddenly in 1880. He never saw the observatory fully completed. The instruments in the solar observatory were removed in 1882. They were meant to look for a planet called Vulcan, which turned out not to exist.
The observatory was used a lot until 1958. That's when the new Pine Bluff Observatory was opened. Today, the Washburn Observatory is home to a special program. It's the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Letters & Science Honors Program. The telescope is still used by the UW Department of Astronomy. It's used for public viewings and educational events.
Pictures of the Observatory
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The observatory dome with the Orion constellation in the sky.
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The observatory in the evening.
See also
In Spanish: Observatorio Washburn para niños
