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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.
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 workers on ground
A picture of the completed dome with 5 workers on the ground
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 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.
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.
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…
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.…
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…
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.…
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…
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.
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.
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
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…
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.…
Top end of telescope tube
A detailed picture of the top-end of the telescope. Various counter-weights are visible.
Entire telescope aiming south, viewed from north/west; mirror handling cart in background
A picture of the complete telescope structure pointing south. This picture was taken in 1916, well before the mirror and spectrograph was installed. The mirror handling cart is visible in the background.
Entire telescope aiming east
A picture of the complete telescope structure pointing east. This picture was taken in 1916, well before the mirror and spectrograph was installed.
Entire telescope aiming north
A picture of the complete telescope structure pointing north. This picture was taken in 1916, well before the mirror and spectrograph was installed.
Telescope aiming north, view of lower part of telescope with man standing in background
A picture of the lower part of the completed telescope. The electrical panel is attached to the south pier. Thomas Tenant Hutchison has his arm on the declination counter-weight. Hutchison would join the staff of the observatory when it began…
Telescope aiming north/west, view of entire telescope including elevator platform at top of tube, viewed from east
A picture of the telescope fully assembled and all wooden supports removed. The Newtonian platform is visible in the upper right.
Telescope assembled
A picture of the telescope fully assembled and all wooden supports removed. Thomas Tenant Hutchison is standing on the right ascension gear. Hutchison would join the staff of the observatory when it began operation. He maintained the telescope and…
Telescope close to complete assembly
A picture of the telescope close to complete assembly. The wooden braces are still in position. This is a view from the telescope tube side.
Telescope close to complete assembly
A picture of the telescope close to complete assembly. The wooden braces are still in position. This is a view from the declination drive side
The lower part of the telescope tube attached
In the picture is slowly taking shape. The polar and declination axes are assembled as is lower solid, lower part of the telescope tube.
Telescope's polar axis and declination axis assembled and blocked into position
A picture showing the declination axis attached to the polar axis and supported by wooden supports.
Telescope's polar axis and declination axis assembled and blocked into position
A picture showing the declination axis attached to the polar axis and supported by wooden supports.
Telescope being assembled by workmen
A picture of three men working on assembling the telescope. It appears as if they are attaching the declination axis to the polar axis.
Polar axis in its final position on pier
A picture of the polar axis blocked into its final position on top of the two piers
Polar axis rigged for hoisting into place
A picture of the fully assembled polar axis rigged and ready to be hoisted into place on top of the two telescope piers
Polar axis being hoisted into place
A picture of the polar axis, drive gear and bearings assembled ready to be hoisted into place on top of the two piers. A workman is sitting on the top.
Polar axis and other parts sitting on the observing floor
A picture of the polar axis and other partds sitting on the observing floor between the two piers. The telescope tube is visible in the background
Polar axis sitting on the observing floor
A picture of the polar axis sitting on the observing floor between the two piers. The telescope tube is visible in the background
Polar axis ready to be hoisted from floor of dome into position on the pier
A picture of the polar axis of the telescope ready to be hoisted from the ground floor up to the observing floor. The bottom structure to which the telescope tube will be attached is in the background.
End Ccp for pier being hoisted off floor inside dome
A picture of the end cap of the north pier being hoisted off of the gournd level floor to raise it to the observing floor. The bottom structure to which the telescope tube will be attached is in the background.
View of the top of Observatory Hill road
This is a view of the top of Observatory Hill with the site custodian's house on the left, and the dome to the right. The water tower is just visible at the top right of the picture. A man is visible sitting on the railing leading to the house
Horse team hauling telescope parts top of Observatory Hil road
A picture of a team of horses hauling telescope parts in front of the site custodian house at top of Observatory Hill road
Horse team hauling telescope parts past water tower at site
A picture of a team of horses hauling telescope parts to the top of the hill. They are at the top of Observatory Hill in front of the water tower
Telescope tube removed from cart at site, front portion of tube resting on blocks and wagon visible
A picture of the telescope tube after being removed from cart at the site. The front portion of tube resting on blocks and wagon visible