Ladd Observatory

Ladd Observatory
OrganizationBrown University
LocationProvidence, Rhode Island, US
Coordinates41°50′20″N 71°23′57″W / 41.83889°N 71.39917°W / 41.83889; -71.39917
Altitude205 feet (62.5 m)[1]
WeatherSee the Clear Sky Chart
EstablishedOctober 21, 1891 (1891-10-21)
Websitebrown.edu/ladd
Telescopes
Brashear / Saegmuller12" refractor
Saegmuller3" meridian circle
Ladd Observatory
Ladd Observatory is located in Rhode Island
Ladd Observatory
Ladd Observatory is located in the United States
Ladd Observatory
Location210 Doyle Ave.
Providence, Rhode Island, US
Coordinates41°50′20″N 71°23′57″W / 41.83889°N 71.39917°W / 41.83889; -71.39917
Built1891
ArchitectStone, Carpenter & Willson
Architectural styleClassical Revival
NRHP reference No.93000583
Added to NRHPJune 6, 2000
Ladd Observatory is located in the United States
Ladd Observatory
Location of Ladd Observatory
  Related media on Commons
[edit on Wikidata]

Ladd Observatory is an astronomical observatory at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.[2] Founded in 1891, it was primarily designed for student instruction and research.[3] The facility operated a regional timekeeping service. It was responsible for the care and calibration of clocks on campus including one at Carrie Tower[4] and another that rang the class bell at University Hall. Meteorological observations were made there from the time the building opened using recording weather instruments.[5]

In addition to general astronomy courses it was also used for teaching civil engineering topics such as geodesy.[4] Nautical science subjects, including celestial navigation, were taught there during the First World War.[6]

Ladd began a regular schedule of open nights for public viewing in 1930. This led to the creation of the Skyscrapers amateur astronomy society in 1932 which regularly met at Ladd. The Skyscrapers then acquired the Seagrave Observatory in 1936 which was then used as a meeting place. Amateur astronomers from the group continued to volunteer at Ladd and also participated in Brown University solar eclipse expeditions. Members constructed a Schmidt camera for the 1937 Brown eclipse expedition.[6][7]

Ladd was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.[8] It continues to be used by the Department of Physics at Brown for astronomy instruction. It is regularly open to the public as a science center and technology museum.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NGS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Donnelly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sidereal was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference president1908 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference president1913 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference sky was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference centennial was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference nrhp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).