Jones Observatory
Encyclopedia
Clarence T. Jones Observatory is an astronomical
observatory
owned and operated by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
. It is located in Chattanooga
, Tennessee
(USA). The building was completed in 1936, and opened in 1938. Construction of the observatory and telescope were funded by a Public Works Administration
grant for the students of Chattanooga's public schools at the urging of prominent local astronomer Clarence T. Jones. It was later leased to the University of Chattanooga during World War II
. The telescope is a Cassegrain reflector
type with a 20.5" (52 cm) primary mirror. The mirror is one of many made by Corning Incorporated as a part of the research that allowed the pouring of the 200" mirror for the Hale telescope
.
The observatory has several nights of public lessons and viewing between the months of October and April.
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
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...
owned and operated by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
. It is located in Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
(USA). The building was completed in 1936, and opened in 1938. Construction of the observatory and telescope were funded by a Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
grant for the students of Chattanooga's public schools at the urging of prominent local astronomer Clarence T. Jones. It was later leased to the University of Chattanooga during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The telescope is a Cassegrain reflector
Cassegrain reflector
The Cassegrain reflector is a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror, often used in optical telescopes and radio antennas....
type with a 20.5" (52 cm) primary mirror. The mirror is one of many made by Corning Incorporated as a part of the research that allowed the pouring of the 200" mirror for the Hale telescope
Hale telescope
The Hale Telescope is a , 3.3 reflecting telescope at the Palomar Observatory in California, named after astronomer George Ellery Hale. With funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, he orchestrated the planning, design, and construction of the observatory, but did not live to see its commissioning...
.
The observatory has several nights of public lessons and viewing between the months of October and April.
External links
- Chattanooga Clear Sky Clock Forecast of observing conditions covering Jones Observatory.