LICK ASTRONOMICAL DEPARTMENT (LICK OBSERVATORY) OFFICERS OF THE OBSERVATORY BENJ. IDE WHEELER, Ph.D., LL.D., Litt.D., L.H.D., President of the University. WILLIAM W. CAMPBELL, Sc.D., LL.D., Director and Astronomer. RICHARD H. TUCKER, C.E., Astronomer. ROBERT G. AITKEN, M.A., Sc.D., Astronomer. WILLIAM H. WRIGHT, B.S., Astronomer. HEBER D. CURTIS, Ph.D., Astronomer. JOSEPH H. MOORE, Ph.D., Assistant Astronomer. RALPH E. WILSON, Ph.D., Acting Astronomer in charge of the D. O. Mills Expedition (at Santiago, Chile). ADELAIDE M. HOBE, B.S., Mills Assistant. GEORGE F. PADDOCK, Ph.D., Assistant. CHARLES M. HUFFER, M.A., Mills Assistant (at Santiago, Chile). ... HISTORY OF THE LICK OBSERVATORY The Observatory was founded by James Lick, by a deed of trust dated September 21, 1875. This deed devotes the sum of $700,000 to "the purpose of purchasing land, and constructing and putting upon such land a powerful telescope, superior to and more powerful than any telescope yet made; . . . and, also, a suitable observatory connected therewith." The deed further provides that "if, after the construction of said telescope and observatory, there shall remain of said $700,000. . . any surplus," the surplus shall be invested and that "the income thereof shall be devoted to the maintenance of said telescope and the observatory connected therewith, and shall be made useful in promoting science; and the said telescope and observatory are to be known as the Lick Astronomical Department of the University of California." The gift of Mr. Lick was accepted by the Regents December 7, 1875. *To December 31, 1917. LOCATION Mr. Lick had already, in August, 1875, selected Mount Hamilton, in Santa Clara County, as a site for the Observatory. Land for the site (1345.80 acres) was granted by Act of Congress in 1876. One hundred and ninety-one and forty-nine hundredths acres were granted to the University for the use of the Observatory in 1878. A tract of forty acres was added by gift of R. F. Morrow, Esq., in 1886. Three hundred and twenty acres were granted by the Legislature in 1888. A second congressional grant, comprising 599.94 acres, was added in 1892. The Regents of the University purchased forty acres additional in 1901, 240 acres in 1904, and 125.42 acres in 1908. The total area is 2902.65 acres. BUILDINGS AND INSTRUMENTS The Observatory consists of a Main Building, containing computing rooms, library (of 8000 books and 5000 pamphlets), and the domes of the 36-inch Equatorial and the 12-inch Equatorial and of Detached Buildings, to shelter the Crossley Reflector, the Meridian Circle, the Transit, the portable Equatorial, the Crocker and the Floyd Photographic Telescopes. A fire-proof building was completed in 1909. It contains vaults for the storage of astronomical negatives, observations and other records of value, and instruments temporarily not in use; together with photographic darkrooms and photographic and spectrographic laboratories. On the grounds are dwelling-houses for the astronomers, students and employees, and shops for the workmen. The Observatory is well provided with instruments, some of which are enumerated below: 36-inch Equatorial; objective by Alvan Clark & Sons, mounting by Warner & Swasey. This instrument has also a photographic corrector of 33-inch aperture, figured by Mr. Alvan G. Clark. 3-foot Reflecting Telescope; presented to the Lick Observatory in 1895 by Edward Crossley, Esq., of Halifax, England. The large mirror of this instrument is by Sir Howard Grubb. An entirely new mounting has been constructed. The building was erected from funds subscribed by citizens of California. 12-inch Equatorial; by Alvan Clark & Sons. 62-inch Meridian Circle; objective by Alvan Clark & Sons; mounting by Repsold. 6-inch Equatorial; mounting by Warner & Swasey. 6-inch Bruce Comet Seeker; objective by Brashear; mounting made at the Lick Observatory. 6-inch Crocker Photographic Telescope; objective by Willard; refigured by J. A. Brashear, who provided the mounting also. |