DOCSLIB.ORG

The Stellafane Convention ~AND WHY YOU SHOULD COME~

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Stellafane Convention ~AND WHY YOU SHOULD COME~ The Stellafane Convention ~AND WHY YOU SHOULD COME~ Amateur telescope makers set up in preparation for competition judging. The Stellafane clubhouse and Porter Turret Telescope are in the background. Photo: Phil Harrington very year in the dark of a mid- Winning at Stellafane is a real honor. Quite equipment and accessories, and your odds of summer new moon, amateur aside from awards, the competition is a rare winning are great! chance for amateurs to compare notes, for E astronomers and telescope mak- KEYNOTE ADDRESS ers travel great distances to gather on a prospective telescope makers to examine the Each year on Saturday evening a notable beautiful rural hilltop in Springfield, designs of others before undertaking such a expert in some astronomy-related field gives Vermont. This is The Stellafane Con- project, and for all to enjoy the ingenuity of the Convention’s keynote address in our out- vention, the oldest and one of the largest these talented instument builders. door amphitheater (or indoors if the weather assemblies of night sky enthusiasts. It OBSERVING doesn’t cooperate). has been hosted here at the birthplace of The dark skies of rural Vermont provide fine American amateur telescope making by observing conditions. All are encouraged to THE SWAP TABLES the Springfield Telescope Makers (STM) bring and use their telescopes, home-built or Stellafane’s non-commercial swap tables al- since 1926. commercial. ways draw an eager crowd of bargain hunters in the early hours of Saturday morning. A SPECIAL PLACE THE RAFFLE “Stellafane” means Shrine to the Stars. Time The Springfield Telescope Makers (a non- CAMPING has also made it a shrine to the history of profit organization) hold a fundraising raffle Although many stay in motels and inns in American astronomy. People who come here at the Convention, with the drawing held be- the Springfield area, camping out has been feel a rare connection to that history, and to fore the Saturday evening keynote address. traditional at The Stellafane Convention each other in our common astronomical pur- The donated prizes typically include many from the very beginning. Camping is primi- suit. Longstanding friendships are nurtured thousands of dollars worth of very desirable tive. Port-a-potties are provided. There is here—many folks return year after year to see friends they encounter nowhere else! TALKS & DEMOS The Stellafane Convention is a wonderful opportunity to learn about astronomy and telescope making from talented amateurs and professionals who generously share their expertise. We present a broad range of talks and demonstrations from beginner to ad- vanced (for children as well as adults), on all phases of telescope making and observing. THE COMPETITION To many, the telescope competition is the heart and soul of The Stellafane Convention. Expert optical and mechanical judges pick the best amateur-built telescopes in several categories, from basic small Newtonians to more esoteric compound telescopes. Special awards are also made for design innovations. Perseid meteor over Stellafane clubhouse and Porter Turret Telescope. Photo: Dennis di Cicco plenty of room, including space for RV park- to an adjacent field that had been the Con- THE MCGREGOR ing. Hot meals are available from a catered vention’s camping area, the STM, with the OBSERVATORY food tent. support of members who mortgaged their The McGregor Observatory at Stellafane homes, purchased a 40-acre farm across the THE HISTORY East was constructed by the club between road from the original Stellafane site. This 1989 and 1995. It houses a unique instru- In 1920, when a decent astronomical tele- became known as Stellafane East. In 1998, ment—a 13” f/10 Schupmann telescope scope was far beyond the average worker’s STM member Harty Beardsley donated an- mounted on a massive computer controlled means, Russell W. Porter offered to help a other adjacent 45 acres, ensuring that the group of Springfield machine tool factory Convention has room for growth. workers build their own. Together, they ground, polished, and figured mirrors, com- THE STELLAFANE pleted their telescopes, and began using CLUBHOUSE them, soon becoming thoroughly captivated The clubhouse was by amateur astronomy. designed by Porter By 1923 they had and constructed by formed a club, the the members. The Springfield Tele- pink color may sim- scope Makers, and ply have been that had built Stellafane, of donated paint, our now legendary but it has been hal- clubhouse. In 1925 lowed by long tradi- their activities drew tion. Although it’s the attention of Al- now a tight fit with today’s larger member- bert Ingalls, an edi- ship roster, the Springfield Telescope Mak- tor at Scientific ers still hold meetings at Stellafane. The orig- The Milky Way over the Schupmann Telescope. Photo: Dennis di Cicco American. He vis- inal site, including the clubhouse and the alt-az mounting. For a time it was the largest ited the club, and Porter Turret Telescope, was designated a operating Schupmann in the world. This de- soon began publishing articles by Porter and National Historic Landmark in 1989. sign, which combines reflective and refrac- others about telescope making. This gener- THE PORTER tive elements, yields a coma-free and essen- ated interest across the country, and the club TURRET TELESCOPE tially apochromatic image, and is ideal for decided to invite other amateurs to visit. On planetary observation. The Schupmann is July 3, 1926, 29 people came to Breezy Hill, The Porter Turret Telescope was constructed operated during Convention. and The Stellafane Convention was estab- in 1930 by the club. Porter, who had endured more than his share of winter cold on polar THE DOMED expeditions early in his career, invented a de- OBSERVATORY sign that allowed the observer to remain in- Stellafane East also hosts a beautiful 10” doors and comfortable on the coldest winter Ritchey-Chrétien telescope mounted on a nights. Extensively renovated including new Springfield Mount (another Porter design), optics in the 1970s, the Porter Turret remains built by Dino Argen- an excellent instrument, and is operated dur- tini in 1964 and even- ing Convention, night and day (for solar ob- tually donated to the servation). club. It is housed in a The first Stellafane Convention; Porter domed observatory and Ingalls on the right built in 2006. This lished. It’s been held every year since, except telescope’s station- during the Second World War. The conven- ary eyepiece is acces- tion grew rapidly, and today around a thou- sible to wheelchair sand enthusiastic amateurs make the pilgrim- users. age to Springfield. THE SITE To learn more, please visit the STM web site The original Stellafane site on Breezy Hill at http://stellafane.org remains the location for the telescope com- Online registration for the Convention petition, and of course is where the Stellafane begins in early May. clubhouse and Porter Turret Telescope are You can sign up for announcements at The primary cell (foreground), boom, and turret http://stellafane.org/about/announce.html located. In 1986, faced with the loss of access of the Porter Turret Telescope. Photo: Paul Valelli .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 2002 Convention Bulletin
    STELLAFANE The 67th Convention of Amateur Telescope Makers on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont. Friday, August 9th and Saturday, August 10th, 2002 "For it is true that astronomy, from a popular standpoint, is handicapped by the inability of the average workman to own an expensive astronomical telescope. It is also true that if an amateur starts out to build a telescope just for fun he will find, before his labors are over, that he has become seriously interested in the wonderful mechanism of our universe. And finally there is understandably the stimulus of being able to unlock the mysteries of the heavens by a tool fashioned by one's own hand." Russell W. Porter, March 1923 -- Founder of Stellafane The Stellafane Convention is a gathering of amateur telescope makers. The Convention was started in 1926 to give amateur telescope makers an opportunity to gather, to show off their creations and teach each other telescope making and mirror grinding techniques. If you have made your own telescope, we strongly encourage you to display it in the telescope fields near the Pink Clubhouse. If you wish, you can enter it in the mechanical and/or optical competition. There are also mirror grinding and telescope making demonstrations, technical lectures on telescope making and the presentation of awards for telescope design and craftsmanship. Vendor displays and the retail sale of commercial products are not permitted. For additional information please check out the home page www.stellafane.com. Enjoy the convention! PLEASE NOTE AN IMPORTANT SCHEDULE CHANGE DURING CONVENTION: The optical judging has been re- scheduled for Friday night! There will be no optical judging Saturday night unless clouds interfere with the optical competition on Friday.
    [Show full text]
  • 2009 Stellafane Convention
    2010 STELLAFANE CONVENTION Beginner Talks “Tour of the Russell Porter Turret Telescope” by Brad Vietje and John Gallagher Friday, August 6th, 3:00 p.m. & Saturday, August 15th, 11:30 a.m. Meets at the Turret Telescope Located at the summit of Breezy Hill, immediately to the North of the Stellafane Pink Clubhouse, The Russell Porter Turret Telescope is one of three known “turret telescopes”. The primary advantage of this type of telescope is that the observers are inside of the observatory building, protected from the cold temperatures of long winter nights and biting mosquitoes of summer nights. Brad Vietje and John Gallagher, both members and past presidents of the Springfield Telescope Makers, will talk about the history of the Turret Telescope, demonstrate how the telescope is used and observe the Sun, if the weather permits and the Sun obliges by displaying some sunspots. “Solar System Walk” by Roger Williams Friday, August 6th, 4:15 p.m. & Saturday, August 7th, 12:30 p.m. Starts behind the Pink Clubhouse near the green shed To illustrate the vast size of outer space, the Springfield Telescope Makers have constructed a scale model of the solar system, based on the Sun being 12 inches in diameter. At that scale, the Earth would be approximately 1/10 of an inch in diameter and 107 feet from the Sun. Jupiter would be 1.2 inches in diameter and approximately 560 feet from the Sun. The “Solar System Walk” begins behind the Pink Clubhouse and proceeds down the road going towards the Stellafane camping area. At the appropriate distance, from the scale model of the Sun, there are stations with the appropriate planet, built to scale, and a short description of each planet.
    [Show full text]
  • Newsletter Archive the Skyscraper August 2011
    the vol. 38 no. 8 August Skyscraper 2011 Amateur Astronomical Society of Rhode Island 47 Peeptoad Road North Scituate, Rhode Island 02857 www.theSkyscrapers.org August Meeting with Tom Thibault Friday, August 5, 7:30pm Seagrave Memorial Observatory Skyscrapers president Tom Thibault will Recently talk about “The Merits of Maintaining an improved Observing Log”. He will touch upon the northern reasons for his interest in astronomy and the & eastern timeline of his increasing involvement. The horizons, focus of his presentation will be why, how, thanks to our and what he includes in log entries as well as where the particular journal he utilizes can neighbor be purchased. Gene Allen. In this issue… 2 President’s Message 3 The Constellations in August Phases 4 August Meteor Shower to be Mooned Out & of the Observing the Moon Last Quarter Moon 6 13 21 28 6 July Reports Other notable events: Vesta is at opposition on the 5th. Perseid meteor shower peaks on the 8 New GOES-R to 12th-13th. Venus is at superior conjunction on the 16th. Mercury is at inferior conjunction Give More on the 16th. Neptune is at opposition on the 22nd. 8 Tornado Warning Time 9 The 30-Year Legacy of Seagrave Memorial Observatory NASA’s Remarkable is open to the public Spacecraft: The weather permitting Space Shuttles Saturdays: 9:00-11:00 pm 8:00 - 10:00 pm beginning August 27 15 AstroAssembly 2011 Registration 2 The Skyscraper August 2011 President’s Message Tom Thibault The Skyscraper is published monthly by Skyscrapers, Inc. Meetings are usually held Dear Skyscrapers Members, desserts that satisfied so many.
    [Show full text]
  • The Blue Planet Report from Stellafane Perspective on Apollo How to Gain and Retain New Members
    Published by the Astronomical League Vol. 71, No. 4 September 2019 THE BLUE PLANET REPORT FROM STELLAFANE 7.20.69 5 PERSPECTIVE ON APOLLO YEARS APOLLO 11 HOW TO GAIN AND RETAIN NEW MEMBERS mic Hunter h Cos h 4 er’s 5 t h Win 6 7h +30° AURIG A +30° Fast Facts TAURUS Orion +20° χ1 χ2 +20° GE MIN I ated winter nights are domin ο1 Mid ξ ν 2 ORIO N ο tion Orion. This +10° by the constella 1 a π Meiss λ 2 μ π +10° 2 φ1 attended by his φ 3 unter, α γ π cosmic h Bellatrix 4 Betelgeuse π d ω Canis Major an ψ ρ π5 hunting dogs, π6 0° intaka aurus the M78 δ M , follows T 0° ε and Minor Alnitak Alnilam What’s Your Pleasure? ζ h σ η vens eac EROS ross the hea MONOC M43 M42 Bull ac θ τ ι υ ess pursuit. β –10° night in endl Saiph Rigel –10° κ The showpiece of the ANI S C LEPU S ERIDANU S ion MAJOR constellation is the Or ORION (Constellation) –20° wn here), –20° Nebula (M42,sho ion 5 hr; Location: Right Ascens a region of nebulosity ° north 4h Declination 5 5h 6h 7h 2 square degrees th just 1,300 a: 594 and starbir Are 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 0 -2 -1 he Hunter 2 Symbol: T 0 t-years away that is M42 (Orion Nebula); C ligh Notable Objects: a la); NG C 2024 laked eye as a tary nebu e M78 (plane visible to the n n la) d.
    [Show full text]
  • Web Suppliers of Telescope Building Parts and Materials
    Appendix I Web Suppliers of Telescope Building Parts and Materials No endorsement or recommendation is provided or implied. The organizations listed are here because they were found in other such lists or advertisements or were personally known to someone. Those for whom e-mail addresses were available were notified that they would be listed. Those for whom there were no e-mail addresses or whose e-mail was not deliverable were sent regular letters with the same information. If there was no response to notification, the listing was removed. Quite a few listed organizations submitted additions or changes to their list of products. References to items specific to astrophotography and to Dobsonians were, for the most part, avoided. Likewise, references to subjects other than building telescopes, such as star charts, were avoided. If you are searching for some particular item or for something that will serve for a particular item you are advised to look under a variety of related categories. There is very little standardization of nomenclature in telescope design. For exam- ple, “used” usually means “buys and sells used parts and complete scopes.” Rings and mounting rings probably are overlapping categories. Diagonals, mirrors, and secondary mirrors probably all mean the same thing. Some of the listed organizations produce or distribute items useful to us telescope makers but with a much wider/different selection of clients. In dealing with them it would be useful if you are particularly clear as to the intended use. Some produce items for other industries and are set up to supply materials in large quantities.
    [Show full text]
  • Solar Astronomy Workshop
    The age dawns, the weather fair Nature warms, without a care To the North, the winter's cold A storm rages, from what I'm told Faraway, the surface flares Intense heat, with increased glare A time lag, from there to here Waves arrive, earth's atmosphere To the North, electrons barged Dance the sky, crystallites charged Waves of light, to those aware Color night, beyond compare Warming trends, begin right there Increased waves, excite the air Molecules in microwaves Together rub, and so behave It's the same with solar flares Greenhouse effect, but with God's care Udiah Left: This remarkably detailed drawing of a single sunspot was made by the eminent American scientist Samuel Langley, in the cold, clear air of Pittsburgh, just before Christmas in 1873. Langley later became the Secretary (Director) of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and in the early 1900's was a pioneer in aviation. Photographs made in modern times confirm much of the detail captured by early visual observers such as Langley, who spent long hours at their telescopes to catch moments of unusual sky clarity. Right: Charles A. Young with a prism spectroscope, at the solar eclipse of May 28, 1900, at Wadesboro, N.C. Hartness House Workshop in Solar Astronomy Thursday, August 8, 2013 8:30 - 9:00 Registration and Coffee Host Dan Lorraine, Seagrave Memorial Observatory, Skyscrapers, Inc. 9:00 - 9:05 Words of Welcome David Tabor, President, Springfield Telescope Makers 9:05 - 9:10 Introduction John W. Briggs, HUT Observatory and Springfield Telescope Makers 9:10 - 9:45 A Porter Sun telescope of 100-foot focal length Bert Willard, Curator, Porter-Hartness Museum of Amateur Telescope Making, Springfield Telescope Makers 9:45 - 10:00 The prize-winning spectrohelioscope of Hal Robinson Kenneth J.
    [Show full text]
  • 2014 Stellafane Convention
    2014 Stellafane Convention The 79th Convention of Amateur Telescope Makers on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont 43° 16’ 41” North Latitude, 72° 31’ 10” West Longitude Thursday, July 24 to Sunday, July 27, 2014 “For it is true that astronomy, from a popular standpoint, is handicapped THE STELLAFANE CLUBHOUSE by the inability of the average workman to own an expensive astronomical The clubhouse was designed by Porter and constructed by the members. The telescope. It is also true that if an amateur starts out to build a telescope just pink color may simply have been that of donated paint, but it has been hal- for fun, he will find before his labors are over that he has become seriously lowed by long tradition. Although interested in the wonderful mechanism of our universe. And finally there is it’s now a tight fit with today’s larg- understandably the stimulus of being able to unlock the mysteries of er membership roster, the Spring- the heavens by a tool fashioned by one’s own hand.” field Telescope Makers still hold —Russell W. Porter, Founder of Stellafane, March, 1923 meetings at Stellafane. The origi- nal site, including the clubhouse SOME STELLAFANE HISTORY and the Porter Turret Telescope, In 1920, when a decent astronomical telescope was far beyond the average was designated a National Historic worker’s means, Russell W. Porter offered to help a group of Springfield ma- Landmark in 1989. Photo is from chine tool factory workers build their own. Together, they ground, polished, 1930s. and figured mirrors, completed their telescopes, and began using them, soon THE PORTER TURRET TELESCOPE becoming thoroughly captivated by amateur astronomy.
    [Show full text]
  • Complete Program
    The Springfield TeleScope MakerS & The harTneSS houSe inn presents Binary & Multiple Star Astronomy The Hartness House Workshop July 24, 2014 Translated from the 1856 Tulse Hill Observatory logbook of William Huggins, pioneer of astronomical spectroscopy: Astri gemelli, pinti in giallo, in arrurro, in verde, in vermiglio, in vivido rosso di porpora! -- Rifletti [...] ai gemelli astri, rossi e verdi -- o gialli ed azzuri -- quale maravigliosa varieta di luce non daranno essi ad ogni pianeta, che loro gira intorno. Oh delizoso contrasto, e giocondo avvicendamento! -- Un rosso e verde giorno, alternato con altro bianco, e colle tenebre. Double stars -- of orange blue, green, crimson, rich ruddy purple! Think, quote he, of twin suns, red, and green -- or yellow, and blue -- what resplendent variety of illumination they may afford to a planet circling about either -- charming contrasts and grateful vicissitudes -- a red and green day, alternating with a white one, and with darkness. The harTneSS houSe WorkShop July 24, 2014 8:30 – 9:00 Registration and Coffee Host Dan Lorraine, Seagrave Memorial Observatory, Skyscrapers, Inc. 9:00 – 9:05 Words of Welcome David Tabor, President, Springfield Telescope Makers 9:05 – 9:10 Introduction John W. Briggs, HUT Observatory and Springfield Telescope Makers 9:10 – 9:45 Polaris, A Door to Measuring Large Delta-m Doubles James Daley, Springfield Telescope Makers 9:45 – 10:30 Design Study, Restoration, and Recreation of the Clark Corporation Filar Micrometer of University of Maine Allen Hall and Richard Parker, Seagrave Memorial Observatory, Skyscrapers, Inc. 10:30 – 10:45 S.W. Burnham and the Centennial of the Burnham Double Star Catalogue William I.
    [Show full text]
  • Index to JRASC Volumes 61-90 (PDF)
    THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA GENERAL INDEX to the JOURNAL 1967–1996 Volumes 61 to 90 inclusive (including the NATIONAL NEWSLETTER, NATIONAL NEWSLETTER/BULLETIN, and BULLETIN) Compiled by Beverly Miskolczi and David Turner* * Editor of the Journal 1994–2000 Layout and Production by David Lane Published by and Copyright 2002 by The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada 136 Dupont Street Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1V2 Canada www.rasc.ca — [email protected] Table of Contents Preface ....................................................................................2 Volume Number Reference ...................................................3 Subject Index Reference ........................................................4 Subject Index ..........................................................................7 Author Index ..................................................................... 121 Abstracts of Papers Presented at Annual Meetings of the National Committee for Canada of the I.A.U. (1967–1970) and Canadian Astronomical Society (1971–1996) .......................................................................168 Abstracts of Papers Presented at the Annual General Assembly of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (1969–1996) ...........................................................207 JRASC Index (1967-1996) Page 1 PREFACE The last cumulative Index to the Journal, published in 1971, was compiled by Ruth J. Northcott and assembled for publication by Helen Sawyer Hogg. It included all articles published in the Journal during the interval 1932–1966, Volumes 26–60. In the intervening years the Journal has undergone a variety of changes. In 1970 the National Newsletter was published along with the Journal, being bound with the regular pages of the Journal. In 1978 the National Newsletter was physically separated but still included with the Journal, and in 1989 it became simply the Newsletter/Bulletin and in 1991 the Bulletin. That continued until the eventual merger of the two publications into the new Journal in 1997.
    [Show full text]
  • 2008 STELLAFANE CONVENTION Beginner Talks “Solar System Walk
    2008 STELLAFANE CONVENTION Beginner Talks “Solar System Walk”, by Thomas Gorka Friday, August 1st, 4:15 p.m. & Saturday, August 2nd, 12:00 p.m., behind the Pink Clubhouse. To illustrate the vast size of outer space, the Springfield Telescope Makers constructed a scale model of the solar system, based on the Sun being 12 inches in diameter. At that scale, the Earth would be approximately 1/10 of an inch in diameter and 107 feet from the Sun. Jupiter would be 1.2 inches in diameter and approximately 560 feet from the Sun. The “Solar System Walk” starts up behind the Pink Clubhouse and proceeds down the road going towards the Stellafane camping area. At the appropriate distance, from the scale model of the Sun, there are stations with the appropriate planet, built to scale, and a short description of each planet. The Solar System walk can be taken at any time during the convention. However a guided walk is available at the times mentioned above when Thomas Gorka will provide additional information about the “Solar System Walk” and each particular planet. The walk takes approximately 3/4 of an hour, if you walk all the way to the planet Neptune, with a total distance of 3232 ft, or a little over ½ of a mile. "Stellafane for Beginners", by Kim Keegan & Dennis Cassia Friday, August 1st, 5:00 p.m. in the McGregor Observatory. Are you familiar with these terms: “The Pink”, “Tent Talks” or “The Turret”? If not, or if this is your first Stellafane or if you are retuning and want to learn more about who the Springfield telescope Makers are, as well as what is going on during this convention, then this presentation is for you.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hartness House Workshop
    The Springfield Telescope Makers Present The Hartness House Workshop Thursday August 1, 2019 Photo Mike Hayes Advanced Telescope Making Welcome to the historic Hartness House Inn The Hartness House Inn was built by James and Lena Hartness in 1904. During their time in the home, they hosted many influential guests (including Charles Lindbergh!). James Hartness served as the state of Vermont’s governor from 1921 – 1923. After their passing, the property was purchased by three local machine tool companies who continued to host their guests at the home. In 1954, the first addition and Victorian Ballroom were added to the home to house more guests and create the Hartness House Inn. In 1968, the Governor's Room was built, adding a restaurant to the property. In 1971 the final addition was added to the Inn, which included 24 guests rooms. The Hartness House was then put on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2004, the Hartness House celebrated its Centennial Anniversary! Nine years later, the Inn was purchased by passionate owners who were ready to invest in needed renovations and updates. Work began on the building's infrastructure and the rooms in the wings. Next, the Governors Room underwent a total renovation, creating The Tavern for guests and the local community. A special thanks to the Springfield Telescope Makers Leadership Team and the Workshop organizers: Jeff Lowe, President Francis O’Reilly, Vice President Jay Drew, Secretary Glenn Jackson, Treasurer Kris Larson, Trustee Ken Slater, Trustee and webmaster Rick Hunter, Trustee
    [Show full text]
  • Amateur Telescope Making and Astronomical Observation at the Adler Planetarium
    Paper presented to the 2020 IPS Virtual Conference Beyond the Dome: Amateur Telescope Making and Astronomical Observation at the Adler Planetarium Pedro M. P. Raposo Curator and Director of Collections, Adler Planetarium, Chicago, U.S.A [email protected] Abstract: This paper uses the Adler Planetarium in Chicago as a case study in order to address the historical interplay between the ability to recreate astronomical phenomena indoors, which is central to the very concept of the modern planetarium, and the potential of planetaria to promote public engagement with the actual sky. It is shown that a solar telescope installed in the Adler Planetarium’s building, a longstanding liaison with local amateur telescope makers, programs and exhibits promoting the making of telescopes, and eventually the creation of a standalone public observatory all played an important role in crafting the Planetarium’s identity, and in firming its place in Chicago and among planetaria and science museums in general. 1. Introduction In his guide to the Adler Planetarium and Astronomical Museum, astronomer Philip Fox (1878-1944), the Planetarium’s first director, wrote: “visitors come to see a stirring spectacle, the heavens brought within the confines of museum walls”. 1 Though it was not Chicago’s first public planetarium, 2 the Adler Planetarium - thus named in honor of its benefactor, Chicago businessman Max Adler (1866-1952) was the first institution of its kind in the Western hemisphere, in the sense of a domed planetarium relying on an optical-mechanical projector. The Planetarium opened to the public in May 1930. Its building originally stood on an island that was later merged into an artificial peninsula known as Northerly Island.
    [Show full text]