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Uncrating the rimary mirror
A picture of workers preparing to install the primary mirror. The mirror is hanging in the middle of the picture with its surface covered. Visible in the background are the two clocks used by observers. One kept normal time, the other sidereal time.…
Installing primary mirror
A picture of the mirror about to be lowered into the mirror case prior to be attached to the back of the telescope tube. J.S. Plaskett is standing on the mirror handling cart and a worker is visible in the background. His hat is hanging on somthing…
Installing Primary mirro
In this picture, the mirror in its case is just below the telescope tube prior to being raised and attached to the telescope tube. Visible in the background are the two clocks used by observers.
Installing Primary mirror
In this picture, the mirror in its case is just below the telescope tube prior to being raised and attached to the telescope tube.
The primary mirror viewed through the mirror cover
A picture taken looking down the telescope tube after the primary mirror has been installed. The primary is visible through the partially open mirror cover.
Finished telescope pointing north
The finished telescope pointing north. Note that the spectrograph is not attached to the back of the telescope. Visible in the background are the two clocks used by observers. One kept normal time, the other sidereal time. A calendar between the two…
Member of the RASC and others gathered in front of the finished (except the mirror) telescope
A picture taken October 21, 1916 of members of the Victoria chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC). J.S. Plaskett invited the group to the observatory to see the completed telescope, minus the mirror, and marvel at its majesty.…
The spectrograph attached to the telescope
A picture of the spectrograph that J.S. Plaskett designed attached to the telescope. Plaskett paid attention to the details of the design to make it as efficient as possible. Visible in the background are the two clocks used by observers. One kept…
The spectrograph attached to the telescope
A picture of the spectrograph that J.S. Plaskett designed attached to the telescope. Plaskett paid attention to the details of the design to make it as efficient as possible. The spectrograph could be configured to give higher resolution spectra.…
Closeup view of plateholder for taken images at the Newtonian focus
A picture of the plateholder for taking photographic images at the Newtonian focus. While the Plaskett telescope primarily took spectra, it could be configured to take images.
Top end of telescope in the Newtonian focus configuration
A picture of the top-end of the telescope in the Newtonian configuration. In this mode the light returning from the primary mirroe was reflected to the side of the telescope tube where a camera was located that took photographs. The secondary mirror…
Temperature recording instuments mounted inside dome
A picture of the temperature recording devices mounted inside the dome. It was important to track the temperature changes from day to night to understand how the telescope would perform.
Electrical power panel for dome and telescope
A picture of the main electrical panel for the telescope and dome. The B.C. Electric railway rank by the bottom of Observatory Hill, and the 220 V DC from the railway was brought up the hill to power the observatory.
Finished telescope pointing south
A picture of the completed telescope pointed south. The spectrograph is attached to the telescope. The mirror handling cart is visible as well.
Finished telescope pointing east
A picture of the completed telescope pointed east. The spectrograph is attached to the telescope. The mirror handling cart is visible as are the two clocks, one for standard time and one for sidereal time.
Telescope, with lower insulated covering, pointed east
A picture of the telescope with an insulated blanket wrapped around the lower end of the telescope tube. The blanket was used to keep the mirror at a stable temperature. The glass uesed for the mirror was sensitive to temperature variations and the…
Telescope pointed south-east, with J.S.Plaskett at control panel
A picture of the completed telescope pointing o the south-east. J.S. Plaskett is standing on the observing floor near a control panel. The mirror handling cart is visible in the background. Visible in the background are the two clocks used by…
Dome outer covering finished except for opening used to install telescope
A picture of the dome finished except for the part that was left unfinished so that the telescope could be installed in the dome. Once the telescope was installed, the remainder of the steel structure and outer, and inner, panels were installed.
Completed dome with workers on scaffolding
A picture of the completed dome with two workers on scaffolding. Note what appears o be heavy rope around the shutters which are closed.
Completed dome with workers on scaffolding
A picture of the completed dome with two workers on scaffolding. Note what appears o be heavy rope around the shutters which are open.
Completed dome with workers on ground
A picture of the completed dome with 5 workers on the ground
Completed dome with the shutters open
A picture of the completed dome with the shutters open. The man standing in front of the entrance is Thomas Tenant Hutchison. Hutchison would join the staff of the observatory when it began operation. He maintained the telescope and dome as well as…
Completed dome with the shutters closed
The completed dome with the shutters closed, four years after the public announcement of the project. The stairs leading to the dome are completed.
Completed dome with the shutters open
The completed dome with the shutters open, four years after the public announcement of the project. The stairs leading to the dome are completed.
Completed dome with the shutters closed
The completed dome with the shutters closed, four years after the public announcement of the project. The stairs leading to the dome are completed.
The orginal office building shortly after completion
A picture of the front of the office building completed in September 1924. Between 1918 and 1924, the staff had to work on the ground floor of the telescope
The orginal office building shortly after completion
A picture of the west side of the office building completed in September 1924. Between 1918 and 1924, the staff had to work on the ground floor of the telescope
The orginal office building shortly after completion
A picture of the east side of the office building completed in September 1924. Between 1918 and 1924, the staff had to work on the ground floor of the telescope
Library inside original office building
A picture of the library in the original office building. One of the two large oak tables in this picture is still in use.
Group photograph taken on the occasion of the official opening
A picture taken on the occasion of the official opening of the observatory in June, 1918. Standing, left to right are William Wallace Campbell, Director of the Lick Observatory, Campbell's wife, Elizabeth, John Stanley Plaskett, Plaskett's wife,…
Group photograph taken on the occasion of the official opening
A picture taken on the occasion of the official opening of the observatory in June, 1918. Left to right are William Wallace Campbell, Director of the Lick Observatory, Campbell's wife, Elizabeth, John Alfred Brashear, Reba, Plaskett's wife, John…
Group photograph taken on the occasion of the official opening
A picture taken on the occasion of the official opening of the observatory in June, 1918. Left to right are Ambrose Swasey, William Wallace Campbell, Director of the Lick Observatory, John Stanley Plaskett, and Ambrose Swasey.
Mirror blank at John Brashear's optical shop in Pittsburgh,
A picture of the mirror blank in John Brashear's workshop before work started on figuring and polishing it to the correct shape. The mirror blank was shipped from Belgium just a few days before the start of WW I.
Mirror blank at John Brashear's optical shop in Pittsburgh, part of shop visible
A picture of the mirror blank in John Brashear's workshop before work started on figuring and polishing it to the correct shape. The mirror blank was shipped from Belgium just a few days before the start of WW I.
Mirror blank with John Brashear in his Pittsburgh optical shop
A picture of the mirror blank in John Brashear's workshop before work started on figuring and polishing it to the correct shape. The mirror blank was shipped from Belgium just a few days before the start of WW I. John A. Brashear is resting his arm…
Mirror blank set up on grinding table, with John Brashear in his Pittsburgh optical shop
A picure of the mirror blank set up on the grinding table in Brashear's Pittsburgh workshop. Brashear appears ready for work, wearing his apron and a peaked cap.
Mirror tooling in John Brashear's Pittsburgh optical shop
A good picture of Brashear's workshop with apparatus and tools
Mirror being ground in John Brashear's Pittsburgh optical shop
A picture of the partially figured mirror on the grinding stand. The surface is much smoother than that of the raw mirror blank
Mirror, finished surface in John Brashear's Pittsburgh optical shop
A picture of the more or less completed mirror in Brashear's workshop
Mirror, finished surface in John Brashear's Pittsburgh optical shop, different view
A picture of the more or less completed mirror in Brashear's workshop
Mirror finished, wall calendar in background in John Brashear's Pittsburgh optical shop
A picture of the figured mirror in Brashear's workshop. The calendar shows the month as November, 1915. We don't know if this is the month the image was taken.
Wooden telescope model on top of filing cabinet
A picture of a early wooden model of the telescope and part of the dome structure. This is likely sitting in the offices of the Warner & Swasey Co. who built the telescope.
Telescope scale model, being built at Warner & Swasey, Cleveland, shows factory machinery
A picture of the lower half of the 1/10th scale model of the telescope and dome that was built by Warner & Swasey. This is an excellent image of their workshop showing a series of lathes powered by leather belts all connecting back to the power…
Telescope scale model, almost finished at Warner & Swasey, Cleveland, shows factory machinery
A picture of the almost completed model of the telescope and dome. The telescope and dome could be moved. The telescope was moved by inserting a rod into the base of the telescope where it connected to the gears. This model was exhibited in the 1915…
Telescope scale model, finished, inside Warner & Swasey factory, Cleveland
A picture of the finished model of the telescope and dome. The telescope and dome could be moved. The telescope was moved by inserting a rod into the base of the telescope where it connected to the gears. This model was exhibited in the 1915…
Telescope scale model, finished closeup view at Warner & Swasey factory, Cleveland
A picture of the finished model of the telescope and dome. The telescope and dome could be moved. The telescope was moved by inserting a rod into the base of the telescope where it connected to the gears. This model was exhibited in the 1915…
Telescope scale model, finished, real telescope in background inside Warner & Swasey factory, Cleveland
A picture of of the completed model in front of the assembled telescope in the Warner & Swasey factory. It was standard practice to test assemble large structures before they were shipped to be erected at the actual site
Tracks for rotating the dome, being built inside Warner & Swasey factory, Cleveland
A picture of sections of the tracks on which the rotating dome would sit. The track is the same used for railways.
Wheels and track (to rotate dome) assembled on ground, outside Warner & Swasey factory, Cleveland
A picture of the assembled track structure on which the dome would sit
Dome structure, upper half almost assembled, outside on ground at Warner & Swasey factory, Cleveland
A picture of the test assmbly of the dome structure at the Warner & Swasey factory in Cleveland, OH. Large structures were test assembled at the factory before being shipped