Drake Municipal Observatory

Drake Municipal Observatory
	View from the South West
Alternative names	Drake Observatory
Organization	Drake University
Location	4898 Observatory Road, Des Moines, Iowa, 50311, US
Coordinates	41°35′43.86″N93°41′16.22″W / 41.5955167°N 93.6878389°W
Altitude	846 ft
Weather	See the Clear Sky Forecast
Established	1921
Website
Telescopes
John Brashear
John Brashear	8.25-inch aperture refractor
	Location of Drake Municipal Observatory
	[ edit on Wikidata]

Last updated March 25, 2024

The Drake Municipal Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Des Moines, Iowa. It is jointly operated by Drake University and the city of Des Moines, and is located within the Waveland Golf Course between the 17th green and the 18th tee (the highest point in Des Moines at the time of construction).^[1] The observatory presents public programs on Friday nights throughout the spring through autumn months and, weather permitting, attendees can observe celestial objects with a variety of telescopes.

History

The 8.25 inch refractor housed in the observatory dome was purchased from Warner & Swasey (with optics produced by John Brashear), and delivered to the university in 1894.^[2] Initially the telescope was housed in a dome atop the Science Hall on the university campus. This location was soon found to have been a poor choice; nearby trees and buildings obscured the horizon, and the vibrations produced by passing streetcars disturbed observations.^[4]

In the early 20th century a search was begun for a more suitable location to house the telescope, and a site on the Waveland Golf Course (nearly two miles west of the university campus) was chosen. The city of Des Moines agreed to provide the site and maintain the exterior of the building if Drake University would supply and maintain the observatory instruments, maintain the building interior, and offer public programs. The observatory building was constructed from Indiana limestone during the years 1920–1921, and was dedicated on November 5, 1921. At the time of its opening, the observatory housed a meridian transit telescope which was used to provide official time for the city of Des Moines (in addition to the main telescope in the dome).^[2]

The observatory building was designed by Des Moines architect Frank E. Wetherell. The cost of building's construction was approximately $200,000 ($3.28 million in 2022).^[3]

Features

The door to the main entrance is surrounded by two faux Corinthian columns into which the 12 signs of the zodiac have been carved. Above the door is carved an ancient Egyptian depiction of the Sun. At the building's dedication, Morehouse explained the reason for selecting decorative motifs from a variety of cultures:^[5]

"Thus in review before our minds passes the ancient Chaldean, Persian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilizations, each of which contributed its part to the science to which this building is dedicated."

Just inside the main entrance, the floor of the rotunda beneath the dome features a mosaic of the Solar System, with the eight planets depicted in the relative positions they had on October 1, 1921.^[5] The first floor contains a classroom which can accommodate up to 200 people.^[6]

The basement originally contained living quarters for Morehouse, and a photographic darkroom.^[6]

Public Night Presentations

The main entrance DrakeMunicipalObservatoryEntrance.jpg — The main entrance

The observatory has public night presentations on Friday evenings during the spring through autumn months. A lecture on an astronomical topic is given at 8:00 PM, followed by observing with the historic 8.25 inch refractor, as well as an assortment of more modern small telescopes. Access to the observatory is not through the Waveland Golf Course's main entry; observatory visitors should drive to the site via Observatory Road, which originates on the west side of Polk Blvd, two blocks south of University Ave. Despite being located in the middle of a golf course, there is handicap parking adjacent to the building, and the building itself has been modified to be wheelchair accessible through the main entrance. The latest information on Observatory lectures is posted online.^[7] These presentations have been attended by over 2,300 visitors per year.^[8]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 public lectures were held online.

Related Research Articles

Lowell Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. Lowell Observatory was established in 1894, placing it among the oldest observatories in the United States, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965. In 2011, the Observatory was named one of "The World's 100 Most Important Places" by Time Magazine. It was at the Lowell Observatory that the dwarf planet Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh.

Perkins Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Delaware, Ohio. It is owned and operated by Ohio Wesleyan University.

The Institute of Astronomy (IoA) is the largest of the three astronomy departments in the University of Cambridge, and one of the largest astronomy sites in the United Kingdom. Around 180 academics, postdocs, visitors and assistant staff work at the department.

The City Observatory was an astronomical observatory on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is also known as the Calton Hill Observatory.

Space Place at Carter Observatory is an observatory in Wellington, New Zealand, located at the top of the Wellington Botanic Garden.

The Leander McCormick Observatory is one of the astronomical observatories operated by the Department of Astronomy of the University of Virginia, and is situated just outside Charlottesville, Virginia (US) in Albemarle County on the summit of Mount Jefferson. It is named for Leander J. McCormick (1819–1900), who provided the funds for the telescope and observatory.

The Vienna Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Vienna, Austria. It is part of the University of Vienna. The first observatory was built in 1753–1754 on the roof of one of the university buildings.

Sommers–Bausch Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on and owned by University of Colorado Boulder. The building was initially completed in 1953 and named after Elmer E. Sommers and Carl L. Bausch.

Chamberlin Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the University of Denver. It is located in Denver, Colorado (US) in Observatory Park. It is named for Humphrey B. Chamberlin, a Denver real estate magnate who pledged $50,000 in 1888 to build and equip the facility.

The Warner and Swasey Observatory is the astronomical observatory of Case Western Reserve University. Named after Worcester R. Warner and Ambrose Swasey, who built it at the beginning of the 20th century, it was initially located on Taylor Road in East Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The observatory, which at that time housed a 9.5-inch (24 cm) refractor, was donated in 1919 to the Case School of Applied Science. The newer 24-inch (61 cm) Burrell Schmidt telescope was built in 1939.

Ashton Observatory is a public astronomical observatory operated by the Des Moines Astronomical Society, in collaboration with Jasper County, Iowa (USA). It is located in Ashton-Wildwood County Park near Baxter, Iowa. Public programs are presented on Saturday evenings in the months of April through October, except for the first Saturday of each month. These public nights were cancelled for 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Yale University Observatory, also known as the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium, is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Yale University, and maintained for student use. It is located in Farnham Memorial Gardens near the corner of Edwards and Prospect Streets, New Haven, Connecticut.

The University of Illinois Astronomical Observatory, located at 901 S. Mathews Avenue in Urbana, Illinois, on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, was built in 1896, and was designed by Charles A. Gunn. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 6, 1986, and on December 20, 1989, was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The Detroit Observatory is located on the corner of Observatory and Ann streets in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was built in 1854, and was the first scientific research facility at the University of Michigan and one of the oldest observatories of its type in the nation. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1958 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mills Observatory</span> Observatory

Mills Observatory is the first purpose-built public astronomical observatory in the UK, located in Dundee, Scotland. Built in 1935, the observatory is classically styled in sandstone and has a distinctive 7 m dome, which houses a Victorian refracting telescope, a small planetarium, and display areas. The dome is one of two made from papier-mâché to survive in the UK, the other being at the Godlee Observatory.

Coats Observatory is Scotland's oldest public observatory. It is currently closed for refurbishment as part of a 4-year long £42m transformation of the observatory and museum buildings. Located in Oakshaw Street West, Paisley, Renfrewshire, the observatory has been operational since 1 October 1883 and continues to function to this day, offering visitors the opportunity to view the night sky through the powerful telescopes housed within the building. The observatory is currently closed for redevelopment and is due to reopen in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fuertes Observatory</span> Observatory

Fuertes Observatory is an astronomical observatory located on the North Campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The observatory was designed by L.P. Burnham, Cornell Professor of Architecture and completed in fall of 1917. It was originally used by the Civil Engineering Department as an instructional field office for navigation and surveying. Today, the observatory is primarily used for public outreach, welcoming over two thousand visitors per year with open houses on clear Friday nights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Givatayim Observatory</span> Astronomical observatory in Israel

The Givatayim Observatory is a public observatory that was founded in 1968 by the Israeli Astronomical Association and the Givatayim municipality.

UCL Observatory at Mill Hill in London is an astronomical teaching observatory. It is part of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at University College London.

$<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenwich 28-inch refractor</span>$

The Greenwich 28-inch refractor is a telescope at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, where it was first installed in 1893. It is a 28-inch ( 71 cm) aperture objective lens telescope, otherwise known as a refractor, and was made by the telescope maker Sir Howard Grubb. The achromatic lens was made Grubb from Chance Brothers glass. The mounting is older however and dates to the 1850s, having been designed by Royal Observatory director George Airy and the firm Ransomes and Simms. The telescope is noted for its spherical dome which extends beyond the tower, nicknamed the "onion" dome. Another name for this telescope is "The Great Equatorial" which it shares with the building, which housed an older but smaller telescope previously.

References

↑ Wellman, Mike (July 7, 2015). "Drake observatory: Des Moines' ghostly path to stars". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
1 2 3 Wresch, Kaley; Kent, Deborah; Winter, Janis; Orchiston, Wayne (August 2019). "A History of Drake Municipal Observatory, Des Moines, USA: from Riches, to Rags, to Restoration" (PDF). Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. 22 (2): 301–327. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
1 2 "D. M. Municipal Observatory opens in May". Des Moines Register. Cowles. February 20, 1921. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
↑ Wilson, Ben H. (1942). "The Municipal Observatory". The Palimpsest. 23 (11): 359–369. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
1 2 Irvine, Elaine. "Deep in a Des Moines golf course sits a haunted observatory with a far-out history". Little Village. Little Village LLC. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
1 2 Beach, Patrick (May 19, 1988). "Morehouse gravesite provides a terrific view of the heavens". Des Moines Register. Gannett. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
↑ "Public Night Schedule". Drake Municipal Observatory. Drake University. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
↑ Mohmand, Amber (November 9, 2021). "Drake University Municipal Observatory celebrates 100th anniversary". Des Moines Register. Gannett. Retrieved June 3, 2022.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Wellman-1] Wellman, Mike (July 7, 2015). "Drake observatory: Des Moines' ghostly path to stars". Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

[Wresch-2] 1 2 3 Wresch, Kaley; Kent, Deborah; Winter, Janis; Orchiston, Wayne (August 2019). "A History of Drake Municipal Observatory, Des Moines, USA: from Riches, to Rags, to Restoration" (PDF). Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. 22 (2): 301–327. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.

[reg1921-3] 1 2 "D. M. Municipal Observatory opens in May". Des Moines Register. Cowles. February 20, 1921. Retrieved June 3, 2022.

[Wilson-4] Wilson, Ben H. (1942). "The Municipal Observatory". The Palimpsest. 23 (11): 359–369. Retrieved October 24, 2020.

[littleVillage-5] 1 2 Irvine, Elaine. "Deep in a Des Moines golf course sits a haunted observatory with a far-out history". Little Village. Little Village LLC. Retrieved August 21, 2022.

[Beach-6] 1 2 Beach, Patrick (May 19, 1988). "Morehouse gravesite provides a terrific view of the heavens". Des Moines Register. Gannett. Retrieved August 21, 2022.

[lectures-7] "Public Night Schedule". Drake Municipal Observatory. Drake University. Retrieved October 27, 2020.

[reg2021-8] Mohmand, Amber (November 9, 2021). "Drake University Municipal Observatory celebrates 100th anniversary". Des Moines Register. Gannett. Retrieved June 3, 2022.

[1]

[2]

[4]

[3]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]