Selenium cell photometer
Astronomy
Photography
Measuring instrument
Electrical apparatus
Photometry
Figure 1: Selenium cell in ice-pack attached to 12-inch refractor. Page 190.
Astrophysical Journal
Stebbins, Joel. (1910) The measurement of the light of stars with a selenium photometer, with an application to the variations of Algol. 32, 185-214.
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1910ApJ....32..185S
1910
Image from journal
document
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Galvanometer room
Astronomy
Photography
Electrical apparatus
Measuring instrument
Photometry
Figure 2: Galvanometer and accessories for the selenium photometer. Page 191.
Visible in the photograph are the galvanometer, reading telescope, scale, batteries,Wheatstone bridge, and resistance boxes. Was located in the west-central transit room.
Astrophysical Journal
Stebbins, Joel. (1910). The measurement of the light of stars with a selenium photometer, with an application to the variations of Algol. 32, 185-214
http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1910ApJ....32..185S/
1910
photograph from journal
English
document
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Postcard, "Observatory, University of Illinois"
Astronomy
Photography
Architecture
Looking southwest toward the north entrance of the observatory.
C.U. Williams, Photoette, Bloomington IL.
Personal collection of Michael Svec
circa 1905
Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
postcard
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Post card 'Radio telescope at the Vermilion River Observatory'
Astronomy
Photography
Post text: "Radio telescope at the Vermilion River Observatory, University of Illinois. Giant radio telescope 600 feet long, 400 feet wide. A wire mesh on the surface reflects cosmic signals to 274 antennas on the wooden truss, 153 feet high. It is used to catalog discrete radio sources at a frequency of 611 megahertz. Sponsored by Office of Naval Research."
Champaign-Urbana News Agency
Personal collection of Michael Svec
circa 1962
Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
document
Vermilion River Radio Observatory, Danville, Illinois
Lantern slides 'Beta Lyrae'
Astronomy
Photography
Variable star
Both of these lantern slides were used by the first director, George W. Myers, at the conference opening Yerkes Observatory held October 18-21, 1897. Myers' work, "The system of Beta Lyrae" was published in the Astrophysical Journal in 1898 (vol. 7, p.1). The first lantern slide was figure 1a on page 3 and the second was figure 4 on page 8.
G.W. Myers
Myers, G.W. (1898) "The system of Beta Lyrae" Astrophysical Journal, vol. 7, p.1.
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
1897
image/jpg
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Photograph Ross Camera and Fauth finderscope
astronomy, telescope, camera, photography
Photograph of the 4-inch Ross-Fecker camera with the 4-inch Fauth refractor as the finderscope.
The instrument was a refractor of 4-inch aperture and 28-inch focal length (f/7) with a scale of 290”/mm. It held 8x10 inch glass plates covering 20 by 16 degrees. Mounted on former 30-inch reflector mount. Originally located at the Florida Avenue Observatory until 1966, moved to Prairie Observatory in 1968. First plate taken October 10, 1939, last recorded plate October 8, 1980.
In 1953, Fecker estimated the value at $18,000 and noted it was in good condition with the exception of outside surface paint scaling. Many of the plates are now at Yerkes Observatory where they will be digitized and preserved. Baker and his students, which included Elaine Nantkes, Lois Keifer, David Heeschen and Alan Sandage, published 7 papers in the Astrophysical Journal on the analysis of the Milky Way in Cassiopeia, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Auriga, Aquila, Cepheus and Perseus. This was the principal research in astronomy done at the University of Illinois from 1939 until 1951. Approximately 4000 photographs were taken with the camera.
The finderscope was a 4-inch Fauth refractor purchased in 1896. The receipt identifies it as an “Outfit” equatorial consistent with the 1893 Saegmuller catalog. "The smaller equatorial has an aperture of 4 inches and a focal length of 6 feet. It is provided with graduated circles of 6 inches diameter in both right ascension and declination, the former reading by two verniers to single minutes and the latter, also by two verniers to five minutes of arc. It is further supplied with a driving clock and finder and is mounted by means of a circular cast iron column 6 feet high which rests on a masonry pier, the whole being covered by a shed carried on rollers which may be easily and quickly pushed entirely away from the instrument."
J.W. Fecker
Description and price-list of first-class engineering and astronomical instruments manufactures by Geo. N Saegmuller successor to Fauth & Co. (1892). Gibson Bros Printers: Washington DC. Available as Google eBook at http://books.google.com/books?id=H314b5ZbfWUC .
Myers, G.W. (1898) The Astronomical Observatory. The Technograph. No. 11, pp. 104-111
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
circa 1940
Still image
English
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Magic lantern slides
Astronomy
Teaching
Wood, glass, metal
In 2 wooden boxes, hand painted glass slides in mahogany wood, several with moving parts, total of 35 lantern slides. Similar collections on-line have them made of mahogany, with brass handles and movements, stamped and numbered. May date to 1870s. Nine have gears, a usual set consisted of 10. Two have slides for simulating eclipses.
Slides are wood, stamped with Newton and Company logo, writing on tops, several have paper labels with descriptions. Stored in two wooden boxes. First smaller box has broken lid with Newton & Company paper label, box measures 10 x 6 ½ x 4 ½ inches. Second box was originally used for smaller lantern slides and measures 17 x 10 x 5 ¼ inches. Slides measure 6 ½ inches by 4 inches.
Newton & Company, London, England
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
circa 1872
Michael Svec
Copyright Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Lantern slide "U of I Eclipse station 1918, Rock Springs, Wyoming"
Astronomy
Photography
Solar Eclipse
Measuring instrument
Photometry
One of over 1000 lantern slides in the Observatory's collection. Labelled "E1" this is a photograph of the photoelectric photometer Dr. Joel Stebbins and Dr. Jakob Kunz used to observe the solar eclipse on June 8, 1918. The photograph also appeared in the article "The Illinois eclipse expedition to Rock Springs, Wyoming" in Popular Astronomy, Vol. 26, p.665 as figure 2 on page 668.
Photographic Department, University of Illinois
Kunz, J. and J. Stebbins (December 1918) "The Illinois eclipse expedition to Rock Springs, Wyoming" Popular Astronomy, Vol. 26, p.665-676.
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
1918
Michael Svec
still image
English
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Lantern slide 'U of I 30 inch reflector'
Astronomy
Photography
Optical instrument
Telescope
Lantern slide of the 30-inch reflecting telescope purchased in 1914. The mirror had a focal length of 20-inches and was made by John Brashear. The mount might also be by Brashear. This lantern slide is part of the Observatory's collection and is marked "O 60."
According to a 1914 article in the Urbana Daily Courier, the telescope "has been in use in Washington D.C. for some time but is now in the Metal Shop awaiting the completion of the new observatory where it will be installed. The telescope has been used for condensing the rays of the sun onto a mirror. The instrument has been used to melt platinum which requires about 1775 degrees Centigrade. The mirror was a diameter of thirty inches. The focus is very short so that there is a maximum of light-gathering properties making it a huge burning glass. It has been set up at the Metal Shops and carefully tested. It was constructed by the John Brashear Company of Pittsburgh." The goal for this new telescope was to have it equipped with a photoelectric photometer.
Photographic department, University of Illinois
Baker, Robert H. "The 30-inch Reflecting Telescope and Photoelectric Photometer of the University of Illinois." Popular Astronomy. 122:86-91.
"University buys big telescope" (August 5, 1914) Urbana Daily Courier, page 3.
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
circa 1914
still image
English
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Lantern slide 'Potassium Photoelectric cell'
Astronomy
Photography
Electrical apparatus
Measuring instrument
Optical instrument
Lantern slide of a photoelectric cell made by Jacob Kunz. Part of the Observatory's lantern slide collection, marked "PE 5."
Photographic Department, University of Illinois
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
circa 1925
lantern slide
English
still image
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois