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Merz Telescopes at the University Observatory in Christiania, Norway

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Merz Telescopes at the University Observatory in Christiania, Norway Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 22(1), 65Å77 (2019). MERZ TELESCOPES AT THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY IN CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY Bjørn Ragnvald Pettersen Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Environmental and Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås, Norway. e-mail: [email protected] Abstract: Four telescopes with optics by Merz in Munich were acquired for the University Observatory in Christiania between 1840 and 1882. Two had equatorial mountings by Merz, one by Repsold, and one by Olsen. We describe the acquisition process from correspondence located in archives and libraries. The observing programs are outlined from publications in Norwegian and German, highlighting some results obtained with these instruments. Keywords: University Observatory; Christiania (Oslo); Norway; telescopes; Merz; Repsold; spectroscopes; visual observations 1 INTRODUCTION The University Observatory in Christiania (now Oslo, Norway) was inaugurated in 1833 and be- gan its operation with a meridian circle from Rei- chenbach and Ertel and a Fraunhofer refractor from Utzschneider on an alt-azimuth mounting by Repsold. It was the only astronomical observa- tory in the country and was founded by Christo- pher Hansteen (1784Å1873; Figure 1), Professor of Applied Mathematics, after years of fundraise- ing and other political exercises. Over the follow- ing decades several other instruments were add- ed, some in their own domes in the Observa- tory Gardens. Two were refractors on equatorial mountings from Merz. Two others had optics by Merz and equatorial mountings from Repsold and Olsen, respectively. Recent books by Chin- nici (2017) and Kost (2015) address the impor- Figure 1: Part of a drawing of Christopher Han- steen by Siegwald Johannes Dahl, made in tance and role of the Merz company and the 1848 (courtesy: Oslo Museum). extent of their delivery of lenses and telescopes throughout the world. Supplementing these re- lination and right ascension circles with micro- views is extensive archival material in Norway scopes on scaled micrometers. The telescope and Germany that allowed detailed histories to also was equipped with a filar micrometer to be written of the Merz instruments at the Univer- obtain relative positions between reference stars sity Observatory in Christiania. and celestial objects. 2 A REPSOLD EQUATORIAL WITH MERZ OPTICS, 1842 In 1844 the Observatory¶V Director, Professor Christopher Hansteen, was joined by an Assist- ant Astronomer, Carl Fredrik Fearnley (1818Å 1890; Figure 2), who had just graduated from the University. Two years earlier, an equatorial telescope had been installed in the Observatory tower. It was developed and produced by A. & G. Repsold in Hamburg between 1838 and 1841. It had a mechanical clock drive and 75-cm circles on both axes, divided to 4 arc seconds. The 12-cm f/13 achromatic objective lens had been acquired from Georg Merz in Munich (Kost, 2011), who had become a partner in Joseph Utzschneider¶s optical institute in 1838. The ambition for the equatorial was to determine Figure 2: A photograph of Carl Fredrik Fearney celestial coordinates directly by reading the dec- (courtesy: Oslo Museum). Page 65 Bjørn Ragnvald Pettersen University of Christiania Merz Telescopes For ten years, Hansteen had been saving a A novel suggestion was to produce the div- fraction of each annual budget. In July 1837, he ided circles on glass rather than the customary decided that an equatorial instrument was a wise brass wheel with a divided silver ring inserted. investment, inspired by the price list from Ertel A test piece was made for Schumacher to eval- (1831). Hansteen (1837) asked the Astronomy uate. He found that it was difficult to read the Professor at Copenhagen University, Heinrich divisions at low levels of artificial lightening, and Christian Schumacher (1780Å1850), for advice. was concerned that the use of ladders and Their relationship dated back for more than two chairs in the observing room represented a risk decades, and Hansteen had visited him repeat- to glass circles. But Hansteen liked the idea of edly at his residence and observatory in Altona. glass circles because they would not tarnish, Schumacher had been the main advisor a dec- unlike silver, and thus removed the risk of affect- ade earlier when the meridian circle and the first ing the division markers when cleaned. Also, refractor were ordered for the Observatory in the scales could be illuminated from behind with Christiania. Schumacher (1837) argued that Er- appropriate brightness. But he feared the risk of WHO¶V FRPSDQ\ KDG GHYHORSHG WRZDUGV IDFWRU\ breaking the glass, and eventually decided on production, and that at the time Repsold was the customary brass circles. leading astronomical instrument-maker in Ger- The telescope tube was proposed to be many. He noted that even Struve, who was made of wood, but would then need a system of close to Ertel, had to face the facts and had counterweights to prevent deflections of the ordered both the meridian circle and the transit ends due to the weight of the objective lens and instrument for Pulkova from Repsold. the filar micrometer. Schumacher suggested Schumacher GLVFXVVHG +DQVWHHQ¶V UHTXHVW that a more rigid solution would be to join two with Repsold and informed Hansteen that Rep- short brass tubes in a central cube, as was sold would prepare a proposal drawing of the customary with meridian telescopes. This was instrument so that details could be discussed supported by Hansteen (1838c), who also sug- before the final plan was agreed upon. To lower gested that a new objective lens should be the costs, Repsold had suggested to Schu- ordered from Munich. He left the choice of lens macher that the equatorial refractor could use diameter and focal length to Repsold, who acc- the objective lens of the 6-foot refractor that epted the technical revisions and decided on a Hansteen had acquired for the Observatory in focal length of 5 feet, after consultations with 1833. Schumacher (Repsold, 1839). Further details A week later Hansteen (1838a) wrote to Rep- were tested on the model in preparation for Han- VWHHQ¶VH[SHFWHGYLVLW sold, confirmed his intentions, and requested a drawing as a reference for further discussions. Hansteen visited A. & G. Repsold in Ham- Repsold (1838a) responded immediately that he burg as part of his scientific travels to Denmark agreed to the plan. Hansteen was thrilled and and Germany during the summer of 1839. They reported the decision to the University. Departe- discussed the revised model and construction ments-Tidende, a publication citing news from drawings. With the plan accepted (Figure 3), Government Ministries, reported in April 1838 Hansteen (1839) transferred an amount of 3000 WKDW ³« professor Hansteen has ordered an thaler Hamburg Banco in November. The con- Equatorial-instrument for the Observatory at the struction work began with the large parts, which expected cost of 1544 spesidaler.´ For compari- were finished by the end of 1839. All the other son, this price was five times the annual salary parts, the test mounting, and adjustments re- of the Assistant Astronomer. quired most of 1840. It also was decided to In July 1838 Hansteen (1838b) informed produce the specially shaped stone pillar in Ham- Repsold that he had wanted to visit Hamburg burg to ensure the accurate positioning of the equatorial mount. that summer to discuss the plans, but that be- cause of matters beyond his control he had to The entire consignment reached Christiania postpone the visit to the summer of 1839. This by ship in July 1841 (Hansteen, 1841). Han- gave Repsold more time for preparations, and steen had arranged for exterior scaffolding to be he finished a reduced scale model of the mount- erected so that they could lift the pillar into the ing as the initial development step (Repsold, tower observing room. A window and part of the 1838b). Details were discussed with several wall had been removed to maneuver the piece local astronomers and ten days later Repsold into position. The wall was re-bricked and the (1838c) sent the proposal drawing and a des- window re-inserted. The rotating roof also need- cription of the technical solutions, accompanied ed improvements, but progress was slow due to by suggestions from Schumacher, who had an exceptionally rainy summer. already seen the model and the text. Both Schumacher and Hansteen found the proposal Hansteen postponed the installation of the excellent. telescope until the summer of 1842. Upon the suggestion of A. & G. Repsold, the assembly work Page 66 Bjørn Ragnvald Pettersen University of Christiania Merz Telescopes Figure 3: The equatorial refractor (left) and one of 5HSVROG¶VFRQVWUXFWLRQGUDZLQJV ULJKW after Repsold, 1914). was done by their expert, Mr Flittner. He arrived Carl Fredrik Fearnley began his tenure as in Christiania in August 1842 and the entire in- Assistant Astronomer in 1844. His first task was strument was ready for testing after two weeks. to determine the Observatory¶V latitude using the The polar axis pointed 2 arc minutes to the west meridian circle and the longitude by observing and 22 arc minutes above the celestial pole. This lunar occultations of stars with the equatorial was within the range of the adjustment screws telescope. When Neptune was discovered in DQG)OLWWQHU¶VZRUNZDVFRPSOHWH+DQVWHHQHQ- 1846, Fearnley (1847a) began astrometry within sured by observation that the two axes were a month of the discovery. A year later his ob- orthogonal to each other and then proceeded to serving program was expanded to include the adjust the clock drive so the telescope would newly discovered asteroids Iris and Flora (Fearn- track stars. In some positions of the telescope, ley 1847b; 1848). the drive was too weak and the tracking stop- Fearnley revealed great talent and skill as ped. Hansteen experimented with heavier loads an observer and Hansteen decided to offer him to run the clock drive, but the problem returned further studies and training at foreign observa- from time to time.
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