COLLECTION NUMBER:
C083.
NAME OF COLLECTION:
Palomar Observatory Construction Collection.
LOCAL CONTROL NUMBER(S):
Negatives: 82:14255-14334.
DATES OF MATERIAL:
ca. 1935-1941
EXTENT:
80 negatives: safety film; 4 x 5 in.
PHOTOGRAPHER(S):
Unknown.
REPOSITORY:
San Diego History Center
Booth Historical Photograph Archives
P.O. Box 81825
San Diego, CA 92138
1-619-232-6203
ACQUISITION INFORMATION:
Transfer from Union Title Insurance and Trust Company, 1979?
RESTRICTIONS:
Open for research.
COPYRIGHT:
For permission to reproduce or publish, contact the curator of the Booth Historical Photograph Archives at the San Diego Historical Society. Reproduction or publication of any part of this collection must include the following information next to the image(s) or in a special section of credits: Palomar Observatory Construction Collection, San Diego Historical Society, Booth Historical Photograph Archives.
GENERAL NOTES:
Forms part of San Diego History Center Title Insurance Collection.
ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT:
Arrangement: numerical.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES:
Owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology, Palomar Observatory opened in 1948. Located at an altitude of 5,500 feet on Mount Palomar, its primary instrument is the 200-inch Hale reflecting telescope, the world’s largest telescope at the time of its completion. Other instruments include the 18-inch Schmidt camera telescope and the 48-inch Schmidt (later named Oschin) camera telescope.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTES:
Documents construction of Palomar Observatory’s 200-inch Hale telescope. Shows construction progress of observatory building with views of the steel framework, workers, heavy equipment, the dome, protective shutters, telescope mounting, optical laboratory, and auxilliary 18-inch Schmidt camera telescope dome. Of special note, photographs of astronomer Edwin Hubble posing near the observatory.
SUBJECTS INDEXED:
Edwin P. Hubble.
Palomar Observatory (Calif.)
Astronomical observatories – California.
Telescopes.
CONTENTS LIST:
82:14255
Map showing road [U.S. 395] from San Diego to Palomar Observatory
82:14256
Construction of foundation
82:14257
Steel framework of dome base
82:14258
Steel framework of dome base with three unidentified workers [looking at construction plans?] in foreground
82:14259
Steel framework of dome base
82:14260
Steel framework of dome base
82:14261
Steel framework of dome base
82:14262
Dome for housing 200-inch telescope closed in, scaffolding around the base
82:14263
Dome closed in, scaffolding around the base
82:14264
Dome framework
82:14265
Dome framework
82:14266
Workers on top of framework
82:14267
Worker [measuring top rail?]
82:14268
Worker on scaffold
82:14269
Dome framework
82:14270
Close-up view of protective shutter
82:14271
Distant view of dome’s framework through tree branches
82:14272
Distant view of workers on base and dome scaffolding
82:14273
Distant view showing road ascending Mount Palomar to observatory
82:14274
Distant view showing road ascending Mount Palomar to observatory
82:14275
Completed 18-inch Schmidt camera telescope dome (left) and dome for 200-inch Hale telescope under construction (right)
82:14276
Distant view of dome construction showing road to observatory
82:14277
Framework of dome
82:14278
Three workers [looking at construction plans?] with dome construction in background
82:14279
Three workers looking at dome construction
82:14280
Three workers kneeling on ground [looking at construction plans?]
82:14281
Astronomer Edwin Hubble with pipe standing on dirt road with dome framework in background
82:14282
Three workers with dome construction in background
82:14283
Construction worker operating heavy equipment [road grader?] with dome construction in background
82:14284
Completed 18-inch Schmidt camera telescope dome and dome for Hale telescope under construction, buildings and water storage tower in distance for supplying and housing observatory community
82:14285
Completed Schmidt camera telescope dome and dome for Hale telescope under construction
82:14286
Workers on top rail of steel framework for base
82:14287
View from ground level up of workers on dome framework
82:14288
Worker walking on top rail near large crane
82:14289
Dome showing base doorway
82:14290
View of dome’s framework looking up from the inside
82:14291
Dome closed in showing open shutter and scaffolding around base
82:14292
View from ground up of workers on scaffolding
82:14293
Dome closed in showing open shutter and scaffolding around base
82:14294
Distant view of dome through trees
82:14295
Water storage tank and buildings for supplying and housing observatory community
82:14296
Distant view of water storage tank and buildings from inside dome’s framework
82:14297
Completed Schmidt dome and Hale dome under construction
82:14298
Astronomer Edwin Hubble with pipe standing on dirt road looking at dome construction
82:14299
Astronomer Edwin Hubble with cane walking on path, enclosed dome in background
82:14300
Astronomer Edwin Hubble
82:14301
Astronomer Edwin Hubble
82:14302
Astronomer Edwin Hubble posing in front of nearly completed dome
82:14303
Distant view of dome construction showing road ascending Mount Palomar
82:14304
Distant view of dome’s framework through tree branches
82:14305
Optical laboratory with honeycombed disc used to polish mirror for 200-inch Hale telescope
82:14306
Optical laboratory with honeycombed disc used to polish mirror for 200-inch Hale telescope
82:14307
Optical laboratory with honeycombed disc used to polish mirror for 200-inch Hale telescope
82:14308
Components for telescope mounting, interior view
82:14309
Construction of telescope mounting, interior view
82:14310
Telescope mounting, interior view
82:14311
Telescope mounting, interior view
82:14312
Telescope mounting, interior view
82:14313
Telescope mounting, interior view
82:14314
Construction of telescope mounting
82:14315
Construction of telescope mounting
82:14316
Telescope tube under construction
82:14317
Telescope tube under construction
82:14318
Enclosed dome
82:14319
Enclosed dome showing shutter open
82:14320
Astronomer Edwin Hubble posing in front of nearly completed dome
82:14321
Nearly completed dome
82:14322
Nearly completed dome
82:14323
Dome with shutter open, three people on road below
82:14324
Nearly completed dome
82:14325
Nearly completed dome
82:14326
Dome with shutter open
82:14327
Dome with shutter open
82:14328
Distant view of nearly completed dome through tree branches
82:14329
Distant view of dome construction from road ascending Mount Palomar to observatory [San Diego officials dubbed road “Highway to the Stars”]
82:14330
Distant view of nearly completed dome through trees
82:14331
Distant view of nearly completed dome through trees
82:14332
Distant view of dome with shutter open from road ascending Mount Palomar to observatory
82:14333
Large crane unloading Westinghouse crate with components for mounting telescope from cargo ship American Robin
82:14334
Large crane unloading Westinghouse crate with components for mounting telescope from cargo ship American Robin
