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
Sidereal clock, no. 22
Astronomy
Clocks
Measuring instruments
Wood, metal, glass
Wooden mahogany case, there was a spare wooden case, height 59.25 cm, width 44 cm, depth 20 cm. There are two front glass doors, one for the dial and one for the pendulum. The sides are wood paneling for the pendulum and glass for the top portion showing the mechanism. Details on Riefler clocks can be found on page 36 of this catalog. On the left of the dial it reads; “C Riefler, DRP No 50739 no 22” and on the right side of the dial “Munchen DRP No 60059 1896.” The number DRP 50739 is the German patent number for the escapement and DRP 60059 is the German patent number for the mercury compensating pendulum. The pendulum consisted if a steel tube filled 2/3 with mercury and a thin steel bob weighing several kilograms. The dial for the large hand is for minutes. The top smaller dial is for seconds marked in 0-60. The bottom dial is for hours, marked 1-12 in roman numerals.
The clock is now in the collection of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago
"The Riefler clock has two interesting characteristics. The first consists in the peculiarly simple and effective compensating pendulum, and the second in the mode of suspending the pendulum.
“As is well known, any good compensating pendulum should have as few parts as possible, should take up changes of atmospheric temperature with equal rapidity in all its parts, should have its compensating material extending as nearly throughout the length of the pendulum as possible, and finally should be heavy and have an appropriate form. How nearly Riefler's pendulum satisfies these conditions can be inferred from the following description:
“Its consists of a hollow steel tube 4 ft. 2 in. long, 0.65 of an inch inside diameter, with its wall 0.04 an inch thick. The tube is filled with mercury to a height of about two-thirds of its length. At the lower end is attached, by a screw with a milled head, a heavy lens-shaped mass of brass whose form permits it to cut its way through the air with almost no resistance. Below the lens are smaller disk-shaped masses whose number and position may be varied for somewhat finer regulation of the rate than can be effected with the milled head. These disks are also used for regulating either to sidereal or mean solar time. At about two-thirds of the height of the pendulum is a light brass cup for the reception of small weights that may be put on or taken off for the most delicate alterations or rate, without disturbing the vibrations of the pendulum.
“The second special feature is the peculiar mode of suspending the pendulum. Its weight is carried by a frame resting by knife edges on agate surfaces. By means of a pair of thin steel springs the two parts into which the pendulum tube is divided near its point of suspension are connected at a distance about one-half inch apart. Through these springs the oscillations of the pendulum communicate a rocking motion to the frame and also to an arm extending downward, terminating in a fork either prong of which carries an agate pin. These pins engage alternately into the tooth wheel of the escapement. The rest of the mechanism of the escapement offers no features especially different from the ordinary form. By means of a pair of screws at the extreme top of the pendulum, the relative lengths of to and fro vibrations may be regulated. The clock is also provided with break circuit attachments and chronographic connections."
The first Riefler clock was designed in 1890 in consultation with Hugo von Seeliger, director of the Munich Observatory. Professor G.W. Myers did his dissertation research under Seeliger in Munich between 1894 and 1896. By 1900, 230 of the mercury compensation pendulums had been sold.
Clemens Riefler of Munich, Germany
Myers, George W. "The Astronomical Observatory of the University of Illinois." Popular Astronomy. 6 (1898) 319-321.
Special catalogue of the joint exhibition of German mechanicians and opticians. (1900). Berlin: Reichsbruckerei.
Adler Planetarium, Chicago, Adler: Accession number A-189
1896
graphic image from catalog
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Willis Pendulum Astrolabe
Astronomy
Navigation
Surveying
Optical instrument
Measuring instrument
The Willis Pendulum Astrolabe was used primarily by the armed forces to determine latitudes and longitudes. The astrolabe is stored in a large green wooden box. It is marked “PENDULUM ASTROLABE David White Co. Milwaukee Wisc USA, No. 65649, M-5107, 1952, U.S.” The instrument was invented by John Willis> The advantage of the Willis pendulum was that it used a mirror instead of mercury as a reflecting surface. It was able to measure position on earth to within 20 feet. The David White Company was founded in 1895 and continues to provide precision optical tools used in surveying.
David White Company
University of Illinois, Astronomy Department, Urbana
Circa 1952
Michael Svec
Copyright Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Celestial globe
Astronomy
Globe
Education
Paper, metal stand
16-inch Celestial Globe by Denoyer-Geppert Company, Chicago, circa 1956. Blue sky with black and yellow stars, constellation borders, lines, and figures included.
Also a 16-inch celestial globe by George F. Cram's, Indianapolis Indiana.
Denoyer-Geppert Company, Chicago, Illinois
George F. Cram's, Indianapolis Indiana.
University of Illinois
circa 1950s
Michael Svec
Copyright, Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Reading telescope
Measuring instrument
Optical instrument
Metal, glass
Eyepiece with crosshairs, 12-inch tall, 11-inch long, tube 1-inch outer diameter, missing an objective lens.
Used with galvanometer to read the reflection off the mirror.
Eastern Supply Company
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
circa 1920
Michael Svec
Copyright Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory Collection A164
University ID 16774
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Radio receiver
Astronomy
Clocks
Electrical apparatus
Radio
Metal, glass
In 1914, the Observatory was connected to a wireless apparatus to receive radio time signals. The apparatus consisted of one wire 650 feet long stretching from the Observatory to the Auditorium to Lincoln Hall. In 1964, the antenna ran from the clock room to Smith Hall and was 67 feet long. Used for timing lunar occultations in the 1950s.
Ron Schorn (2015) described the clock room (as a graduate student his office consisted of a desk by the window in the clock room) and the radio in 1958. “One of my jobs was to regulate the clocks, for which purpose there was an AM/FM/shortwave radio on a small shelf above and to the right of my desk to receive WWV time signals, but also helped while away the nighttime hours . . . The radio in the clock room, which received AM and FM as well as several short wave bands, was on a good deal of the time, especially at night. The small window between the chronograph and the transit usually was open, and the unusual geometry of that part of the building was such that programs were about as audible to Ray as to myself {Note: Ron’s office was in the clock room, Ray White’s office was in the transit room}. On short wave we could always tune in to The Voice of America (on many, many frequencies), the BBC, or Radio Nederland, but the most fun was listening to Radio Moscow. The Red Show had lightened up since Stalin’s death (No longer did it play only Tchaikovsky or Swan Lake), but it was hilarious to follow their “centrally directed” attempts to be “modern” and impress Western listeners. On the AM band, the favorite program before midnight was Herbert W. Armstrong offering “The Plain Truth about the World Tomorrow!” Namely that the Second Coming was due any day now. . .
“From about 11:30 PM to 5:30 AM or so the favorite program by far was “Music “til Dawn.” This was a network of separate but similar classical-music programs sponsored by American Airlines on various clear channel stations across the USA: Denver, Dalas, and so forth. These were extremely popular at observatories nationwide and we listened to Jay Andres on WBBM in Chicago. In those days Jay gave the sighting times of visible satellite passages, which we then went out and watched if skies were clear.
“One curious and even memorable event involved daytime use of the clock radio. It happened while Sydney Chapman was visiting the Observatory. He was the head of the entire International Geophysical Year effort, and happened to be standing in my office to listen to the live broadcast of the first attempt to launch a Vanguard satellite. Famously, the launch vehicle slowly fell back on the launch pad, broke up, and exploded.”
The receiver was cleaned and repaired in 2017 by Bob Hoffswell.
Echophone Radio Corporation, Chicago, Illinois
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
circa 1950
Michael Svec
Copyright Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois
Bubble sextant
Astronomy
Navigation
Surveying
Measuring instruments
Wood, metal alloy, plastic
Marked property Air Force-US Navy, type A-10A. Probably WW II era. Blackened aluminum casting, containing clockwork, lenses, mirrors, buddle level, and rubber eyecup. In fitted wooden box. A small rugged aircraft sextant for military use.
Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation, New York
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
circa 1944
Michael Svec
Copyright Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory Collection A207
University ID 16800-16805
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, 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
Selenium cell
Astronomy, photometry
Wooden box measuring 10 cm x 8 cm x2.5 cm, flips open to expose selenium cell. Cell measures 3.0 cm by 5.0 cm. Stebbins described the Giltay selenium cells he and Brown used in the selenium photometer as “Two wires are wound close together in a double spiral about a flat insulator, and the spaces on one face are filled with selenium which has been properly sensitized.” A photograph of the Giltay cell was included in the 1911 article in Popular Astronomy, “The measurement of the light of stars with a selenium photometer with an application to the variation of Algol.”
The selenium cell photometer is historically significant and was used by Brown and Stebbins starting in 1907. Stebbins met Brown at a physics department open house where Brown ran a demonstration using a selenium cell to ring a bell. That apparatus, and selenium cells housed in a wooden case, are found for sale in Max Kohl catalogs .
Giltay of Delft, Holland
Replacement: Michael Svec donated in 2021 a selenium cell in a wooden box. The cell measures 3 cm x 5 cm and has approximately 18 wires per centimeter which is consistent with the Giltay cell’s that Stebbins bought and used from AB Porter in Chicago, in July 1907 for $20. Stebbins and Brown used at least two Giltay cells numbered 93 and 94. The original cells are lost. This replacement cell does have a resistance that decreases when exposed to light, so it is function.
Circa 1910
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, IL
Cabin sidereal clock
Astronomy
Clocks
Aluminum, brass, glass
There are two sidereal clocks, both are electric. The first is 9 ½-inch diameter with a 8-inch dial, black metal base, brass and glass, 3 hands.
The second smaller clock 5 ¼-inch diameter, tag indicates a date of 1966.
A 1953 ad shows the electric sidereal clock with a rating of less than one minute slow in 16 years. Cast aluminum case with bronze bezel for $40.
Haines Scientific Instruments, Englewood, New Jersey
Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
about 1966
Michael Svec
copyright Michael Svec
image/jpg
English
physical object
University of Illinois Observatory Collection A225.1, A225.2
University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Illinois