Rutherford Observatory

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rutherford Observatory is the astronomical facility maintained by Columbia University. The home of the observatory is maintained atop Pupin Hall on the main campus of Columbia University on the south side of West 120 Street just east of Broadway in Manhattan. The observatory includes a twelve inch (30 cm.) refractor telescope built by the Alvan Clark firm in 1916 for the Czarist government of Russia. It was to be installed at a site to observe an upcoming solar eclipse in Russia. With unrestricted U-boat warfare during World War I shipment was delayed until the war ended. The new Russian government headed by Lenin refused to pay for or accept the telescope, which sat in a crate in a warehouse until 1920, when Columbia bought it. The telescope has for many years been used almost entirely for student education.

Also in the observatory is a three inch (7.5 cm) transit instrument, used for educational purposes.

Traditionally, the chair of the Columbia astronomy department has also carried the title of observatory director.