Airdrie Public Observatory
Encyclopedia
Airdrie Public Observatory (55° 51' 56" N, 03° 58' 58" W) is in the town of Airdrie
, North Lanarkshire
, Scotland
. The observatory
is open to the public by request, and is housed in Airdrie Public Library
. Installed on the roof of the first purpose-built library building in 1896, it is the smallest, and second oldest, of four public observatories operating in the UK
, all of which are sited in Scotland
. The present library building was opened in 1925.
The observatory is owned and funded by North Lanarkshire Council and operated on their behalf by Airdrie Astronomical Association (AAA), a Scottish astronomy society and registered charity. Current honorary curators are Paul Clark and Arthur Bannister.
is mounted equatorially
and has a clockwork drive to track the stars across the sky. A manual mechanism is now used to rotate the observatory’s dome.
The Cooke eye-pieces for the telescope provided a range between 60 and 450 times magnification. The telescope has been adapted by the AAA to use more modern eye-pieces. Although the Cooke is not the original Airdrie telescope, it is believed that it is in excess of 100 years old and, in its day, would have been considered to be a research grade telescope.
site for observing sessions.
The original telescope was a 3 inch, brass-bodied, refracting telescope
donated to the town by Dr. Thomas Reid, an eminent Glasgow oculist, in 1896.
This has now been retired as repairs cannot be undertaken due to its age and fragility, but it can still be seen in the local history room of the library to this day.
In 1896 Dr. Thomas Reid, an eminent Glasgow oculist, donated a 3 inch brass-bodied, refracting telescope
to the town, and it was housed in the library. He also donated the sum of £35 to convert a top-floor room, where a dome was built on the roof of the building for it. Robert Dunlop was the first Honorary Curator, followed shortly by Mr Peter Scotland.
A new library was built, near the first purpose-built library, with financial assistance from Airdrie Savings Bank
and a second Carnegie grant (this time from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust
). It incorporated a new observatory dome on the library roof, and the original Dr Reid telescope was brought from the old observatory. A Cooke of York brass-bodied 6 inch refracting telescope
was obtained by the observatory curator Ex-Baillie
James Lewis for the sum of £500. Before the recent discovery of a receipt for this, local oral tradition had it that this was donated by Mr Coats of Coats Ironworks, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire.
In 1977, the Observatory was threatened with closure due to storm damage. This is when Association in Scotland to Research into Astronautics
stepped in (Ian Downie wrote to the local Council on 7 July 1977) and offered to repair the damage to the telescope and drive if the then Monkland's Council would fit a new dome. They duly did and ASTRA repaired the telescope.
The Observatory was re-opened on 4 October 1978 (Sputnik 1
anniversary) by Professor Vincent Reddish, Astronomer Royal for Scotland
. ASTRA had been managing Airdrie Public Observatory on behalf of the local council until 2008 in the persons, amongst others, of Ian Downie, Robert Law, Paul Clark, Duncan Lunan
and Oscar Schwiglhofer.
In 2009 the curatorship passed to Airdrie Astronomical Association in 2009 in Partnership with Airdrie Public Library.
The observatory has 2 Honorary Curators, Mr Paul Clark and Mr Arthur Bannister.
Sir Patrick Moore agreed to be their first Honorary President.
The observatory was visited by Brigadier General Charles Moss Duke Jr. Apollo 16 Lunar Module Pilot visited the observatory on 9th September 2010. Charlie also accepted the post of Honorary President of Airdrie Astronomical Association.
Airdrie, North Lanarkshire
Airdrie is a town within North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on a plateau roughly 400 ft above sea level, and is approximately 12 miles east of Glasgow city centre. Airdrie forms part of a conurbation with its neighbour Coatbridge, in the former district known as the Monklands. As of 2006,...
, North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
is open to the public by request, and is housed in Airdrie Public Library
Airdrie Public Library
Airdrie Public Library is a public library in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The library has been housed in a number of buildings since its founding.-History of the two Carnegie library buildings and the observatory:...
. Installed on the roof of the first purpose-built library building in 1896, it is the smallest, and second oldest, of four public observatories operating in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, all of which are sited in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The present library building was opened in 1925.
The observatory is owned and funded by North Lanarkshire Council and operated on their behalf by Airdrie Astronomical Association (AAA), a Scottish astronomy society and registered charity. Current honorary curators are Paul Clark and Arthur Bannister.
Cooke Telescope
The observatory's Cooke of York 6 inch refracting telescopeRefracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
is mounted equatorially
Equatorial mount
An equatorial mount is a mount for instruments that follows the rotation of the sky by having one rotational axis parallel to the Earth's axis of rotation. This type of mount is used for astronomical telescopes and cameras...
and has a clockwork drive to track the stars across the sky. A manual mechanism is now used to rotate the observatory’s dome.
The Cooke eye-pieces for the telescope provided a range between 60 and 450 times magnification. The telescope has been adapted by the AAA to use more modern eye-pieces. Although the Cooke is not the original Airdrie telescope, it is believed that it is in excess of 100 years old and, in its day, would have been considered to be a research grade telescope.
Other Telescopes
The observatory has a number of smaller telescopes, binoculars, and two reflector telescopes (each belonging to the AAA or its members) which can be used on the roof of the observatory (no longer permitted), or alternatively, they can be removed to a dark skyDark-sky movement
The dark-sky movement is a campaign by people who want to reduce light pollution so people can see the stars, to reduce the effects of unnatural lighting on the environment, and to cut down on energy usage....
site for observing sessions.
Original Telescope
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
donated to the town by Dr. Thomas Reid, an eminent Glasgow oculist, in 1896.
This has now been retired as repairs cannot be undertaken due to its age and fragility, but it can still be seen in the local history room of the library to this day.
Observatory Buildings
The observatory was founded in 1896 in the first purpose built library building of 1894. The second purpose built, and current, building was opened on 25 September 1925.History
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
to the town, and it was housed in the library. He also donated the sum of £35 to convert a top-floor room, where a dome was built on the roof of the building for it. Robert Dunlop was the first Honorary Curator, followed shortly by Mr Peter Scotland.
A new library was built, near the first purpose-built library, with financial assistance from Airdrie Savings Bank
Airdrie Savings Bank
Airdrie Savings Bank is a small commercial bank operation in the Lanarkshire and Glasgow areas of Scotland. It runs 8 branches throughout this area, with its head office in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire...
and a second Carnegie grant (this time from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust
Carnegie United Kingdom Trust
Carnegie United Kingdom Trust is a charitable foundation based in the United Kingdom, established by Scottish-born American steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie on the model of his U.S. foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York....
). It incorporated a new observatory dome on the library roof, and the original Dr Reid telescope was brought from the old observatory. A Cooke of York brass-bodied 6 inch refracting telescope
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
was obtained by the observatory curator Ex-Baillie
Baillie
A baillie or bailie is a civic officer in the local government of Scotland. The position arose in the burghs, where baillies formerly held a post similar to that of an alderman or magistrate...
James Lewis for the sum of £500. Before the recent discovery of a receipt for this, local oral tradition had it that this was donated by Mr Coats of Coats Ironworks, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire.
In 1977, the Observatory was threatened with closure due to storm damage. This is when Association in Scotland to Research into Astronautics
Association in Scotland to Research into Astronautics
The Association in Scotland To Research into Astronautics , is a spaceflight and astronomical society. The society adopted its constitution on November 20, 1963, and was originally known as the Association in Scotland for Technology and Research in Astronautics.ASTRA registered as a charitable...
stepped in (Ian Downie wrote to the local Council on 7 July 1977) and offered to repair the damage to the telescope and drive if the then Monkland's Council would fit a new dome. They duly did and ASTRA repaired the telescope.
The Observatory was re-opened on 4 October 1978 (Sputnik 1
Sputnik 1
Sputnik 1 ) was the first artificial satellite to be put into Earth's orbit. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957. The unanticipated announcement of Sputnik 1s success precipitated the Sputnik crisis in the United States and ignited the Space...
anniversary) by Professor Vincent Reddish, Astronomer Royal for Scotland
Astronomer Royal for Scotland
Astronomer Royal for Scotland was the title of the director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh until 1995. It has since been an honorary title.The following have served as Astronomers Royal for Scotland:* 1834–1844 Thomas Henderson...
. ASTRA had been managing Airdrie Public Observatory on behalf of the local council until 2008 in the persons, amongst others, of Ian Downie, Robert Law, Paul Clark, Duncan Lunan
Duncan Lunan
Duncan Alasdair Lunan, who hails from Troon, born on the 24 October 1945 is a Scottish author, with emphasis on astronomy, spaceflight and science fiction, as well as astronomer, science reporter, and teacher...
and Oscar Schwiglhofer.
In 2009 the curatorship passed to Airdrie Astronomical Association in 2009 in Partnership with Airdrie Public Library.
The observatory has 2 Honorary Curators, Mr Paul Clark and Mr Arthur Bannister.
Sir Patrick Moore agreed to be their first Honorary President.
The observatory was visited by Brigadier General Charles Moss Duke Jr. Apollo 16 Lunar Module Pilot visited the observatory on 9th September 2010. Charlie also accepted the post of Honorary President of Airdrie Astronomical Association.
See also
- Timeline of telescopes, observatories, and observing technologyTimeline of telescopes, observatories, and observing technology-3500s BC:*The earliest sundials known from the archaeological record are the obelisks ancient Egyptian astronomy and Babylonian astronomy-1900s BC:*Xiangfen Astronomical Observatory, Xiangfen County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province, China-600s BC:...
- List of astronomical observatories
- Space observatorySpace observatoryA space observatory is any instrument in outer space which is used for observation of distant planets, galaxies, and other outer space objects...
Other public observatories
- City Observatory, EdinburghCity Observatory, EdinburghThe City Observatory is an astronomical observatory on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is also known as the Calton Hill Observatory....
. - Coats Observatory, PaisleyCoats Observatory, PaisleyCoats Observatory is one of four public observatories operating in the UK, all of which are sited in Scotland.Coats Observatory is located in Oakshaw Street West, Paisley and was designed by Glasgow architect John Honeyman, with funding coming from local thread manufacturer Thomas Coats...
. - Mills Observatory, DundeeMills ObservatoryThe Mills Observatory in Dundee, Scotland, is the only full-time public astronomical observatory in the UK . Built in 1935, the observatory is classically styled in sandstone and has a distinctive 7 m dome, which houses a Victorian refracting telescope, a small planetarium, and display areas...
. The only full time public observatory.