Seagrave Memorial Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in North Scituate, Rhode Island. It is named after astronomer Frank Evens Seagrave and is wholly owned and operated by Skyscrapers, Inc.[1] The main instrument is an 8¼-inch Alvan Clark refracting telescope[2] which was given to Frank Evens Seagrave for his 16th birthday in 1876, however the telescope took two years to build, so he did not receive it until 1878.[3] The telescope and Seagrave Observatory (as the private observatory was then known)[4] were originally at 119 Benefit Street in Providence.[3] At the time it was the third largest telescope in New England.[3] The telescope was moved to North Scituate in October 1914 when the construction of the current observatory was completed.[3][5] The observatory was acquired by the Skycrapers in 1936 after the death of Seagrave.[1]
 The Observatory during construction in 1914 | |||||||||
| Organization | Skyscrapers, Inc. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | North Scituate, Rhode Island | ||||||||
| Coordinates | 41°50′43″N 71°35′28″W / 41.84528°N 71.59111°W | ||||||||
| Established | 1914 | ||||||||
| Website | Seagrave Memorial Observatory | ||||||||
| Telescopes | |||||||||
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  Location of Seagrave Memorial Observatory | |||||||||
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b Cormack, Maribelle; Laird, Harriet L; Null, Wilhelmina A; Reed, Constance H; Patton, Ralph C; Stevens, W Edwin (2005) [1957]. "How the Skyscrapers Acquired an Observatory and Other Property" (PDF). In Hendrickson, Jim (ed.). A Quarter Century Of Skyscraping: 1932 - 1957 (75th Anniversary ed.). North Scituate, Rhode Island: Skyscrapers, Inc. (Amateur Astronomical Society of Rhode Island). Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ Huestis, David A. (2007). "75 Years of Skyscrapers" (PDF). In Huestis, Tina; Hendrickson, Jim (eds.). 75 Years of Skyscrapers: 1932 - 2007. North Scituate, Rhode Island: Skyscrapers, Inc. (Amateur Astronomical Society of Rhode Island). Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d Huestis, David A. (July 22, 2014). "Seagrave Memorial Observatory centennial (1914-2014)". Astronomy Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing Co. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ "The Transit of Venus as Seen at the Seagrave Observatory". Scientific American. Vol. XLVII, no. 25. Dec 16, 1882.
- ^ Smiley, Charles H. (1934). "Frank Evans Seagrave". Popular Astronomy. 42: 504–505. Bibcode:1934PA.....42..504S. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
