Download The Norman Lockyer plate archive collection

The Norman Lockyer Observatory,
Sidmouth, Devon, U.K.
Plate Archive Collection
AIP Potsdam 21st Nov 2009
The Hill Observatory
Founded by Sir Norman Lockyer in
1912 when he retired from the Solar
Physics Observatory (Kensington)
Sir Norman Lockyer 1836-1920
Spectral observations of the Sun
Discovered Helium in the Sun (1868)
Nature of Sunspots and Solar Flares
Determined the temperature of the Sun
Founder of scientific journal “Nature”
Sir Norman Lockyer
1836-1920
Lockyer’s Achievements
Founder of scientific journal “Nature”
Spectral observations of the Sun
Nature of Sunspots and Solar Flares
Discovered Helium in the Sun (1868)
Sir Norman Lockyer 1836-1920
Famous for his observations of the Sun.
He worked out how hot is was.
Observed Sun spots.
Founder of scientific journal “Nature”
th
16
October 1868
“I saw a bright line flash into the field.
My eye was so fatigued at that time that I doubted its
evidence, although unconsciously, I exclaimed “At
Last!” The line, however, remained an exquisitely
coloured line absolutely coincident with the line C of
the solar spectrum (a Fraunhofer line due to hydrogen
in the red) and, as I saw it, a prolongation of that line.
Leaving the telescope to be driven by the clock, I
quitted the observatory to fetch my wife to endorse
my observation.” - Norman Lockyer
What he didn’t know at the time..
French astronomer Pierre Janssen had
also discovered Hydrogen in a
prominence whilst observing at the
Indian solar eclipse of August 18th 1868.
He saw 9 bright emission lines from the
chromosphere. These were first identified
as lines of Hydrogen and Sodium.
Was able to repeat the observation the
next day.
The Janssen Medal
By a quirk of fate both discoveries were announced to the French Academy of
Sciences on the same day.
A Gold Medal was struck honouring both Janssen and Lockyer
And thus both received world wide acclaim.
Discovery of Helium
Discovery of Helium
In 1866 Lockyer suggested that, with large enough dispersion, it
would be possible to observe solar prominences in full daylight without
waiting for the sun to be obscured in a total eclipse. In 1868 he
noticed a strange yellow line in the spectra that he didn’t recognise.
Lockyer named this strange substance after the Greek word for the
Sun: Helios.
HH
H
He
It would be another 27 years until Helium would be discovered on
Earth by Ramsay.
Our Oldest Archives
Edward Frankland supplies Lockyer with spectra of all the known
elements, which Lockyer used to identify atoms present in the Sun.
A collection of spectra of 36 metallic elements made in 1874-1879
remains in our archives
Our Oldest Archives
Our Oldest Archives
Nature
The first edition
Nov. 4th 1869
Lockyer was the
first editor and
remained so for
50 years.
The Kensington Refractor
The main work of the
observatory was in
stellar research and
the large refractors
were fitted with
objective prisms.
9” (22.8cm) prism
with 45 deg angle.
The Kensington Telescope a 10” (25cm) Refractor and 9” (22.8cm)
Prismatic Camera that Lockyer brought from the Solar Physics
Observatory.
The Kensington Refractor
The main work of the
observatory was in
stellar research and
the large refractors
were fitted with
objective prisms.
9” (22.8cm) prism
with 45 deg angle.
The Kensington Telescope a 10” (25cm) Refractor and 9” (22.8cm)
Prismatic Camera that Lockyer brought from the Solar Physics
Observatory.
The Lockyer Refractor
The famous 6.25”
(15.8cm) Cooke
refractor with which
Lockyer discovered
the element Helium.
The McClean 10” Refractor
The twin tubes of
the 12” (30cm) &
10” (25cm)
McClean refractor.
Francis McClean
Snr was a friend
of Lockyer.
A 12” (30cm)
prism of 20deg
angle is used to
take stellar
spectra and
determine stellar
parallaxes.
The McClean 10” Refractor
The twin tubes of
the 12” (30cm) &
10” (25cm)
McClean refractor.
Francis McClean
Snr was a friend
of Lockyer.
A 12” (30cm)
prism of 20deg
angle is used to
take stellar
spectra and
determine stellar
parallaxes.
The Plate Storage
Many plates have recently
been returned to the NLO from
Cambridge University thanks to
the help of Dr. Elizabeth
Griffin.
The present collection is
contained in wooden boxes in
a darkroom with de-humidifier.
Exeter university have also
given us much of the Lockyer
Archive including all volumes
of Nature.
The Spectral Plates
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6,000 glass negatives
Size: 81x30mm 164x81mm
Dates from 1880’s – 1950’s (SPO, NLO)
Spectra of individual stars & clusters
Spectra of Comets and Novae
Spectral Plates
The plates carry
information
(handwritten on the
emulsion)
concerning object,
telescope, operator,
date, time,
exposure duration
and other
photographic
details.
Spectral Plates
The Mond Astrograph
In 1932 Sir Robert Ludwig Mond
chemist and archaeologist
provided funds to build another
dome and telescope:
The Mond Astrograph
The Mond Astrograph
Four telescopes mounted
on an equatorial for
photographing large areas
of the sky.
Aided the work on stellar
classification
The Mond Astrograph
Four telescopes mounted
on an equatorial for
photographing large areas
of the sky.
Aided the work on stellar
classification
Mond Star Field Plates
There are 670 plates of
star fields taken in the
period 1930-1940.
There does not appear to
be any supporting paper
work.
These are boxed and
individually stored in
envelopes.
Catalogues
Wooden boxes
In darkroom with
de-humidifier
Extensive series
of the North
Polar Sequence
were carried out.
Mond Equatorial Plates
Data including
exposure details and
date recorded on
envelopes.
Wide Field Plates
Plate of Orion nebula
taken with Mond
Equatorial
16th Feb 1934
Variable Stars
γ Cassiopeiae was
regularly observed by
W.J.S.Lockyer, both wide
field and spectra were
obtained, showing wide
ranging variations.
Novae
Nova Persei 6th March 1901
Discovered Feb 21st 1901
Max light 0.2 mag Feb 23rd
Then oscillated greatly
+/- 1.5 mag every 4 days
Novae
Nova Cygni III (1920)
70 plates were taken with
the McClean refractor
showing changes in the
spectra. Images taken from
Aug 22nd – Sep 10th 1920
Show the disappearance of
the dark absorption lines
and appearance of bright
lines to their right.
A Clepsydra
Designed by Lockyer
this instrument
controlled the fall of
a plate vertically for
broadening the
stellar spectra.
Novae
Nova Lac (1936)
was imaged wide
field and also
spectra were taken
with the 12”
prismatic camera.
Comets
Comet (1939d) JurlofAchmarof-Hassel
Comets
Comet Arend-Roland
1956
Lantern Slides
Photos of
Lockyer’s eclipse
expeditions give
unique glimpses
into the social
background of
late-Victorian and
Edwardian
science in Britain.
Lockyer’s Eclipse Expeditions
The next total solar eclipse from UK would be in 1927
“Therefore, who would witness one must go afield,
sometimes very far afield; and this involves a
considerable expenditure of both time and money, and
often discomfort and risk to health.”
Lockyer’s Eclipse Expeditions
The average 19th-century eclipse expedition was a huge
undertaking, striking parallels to the monumental logistics of
sending astronauts to the moon today.
Months in planning
Life Support for 1-3 months
Large crew: 150 personnel to India 1898.
Public Works Dept. subordinates – masons, carpenters.
Accommodation: Tens, huts, photographic darkrooms
Messing arrangements: Provisions for crew
Security: Guards to protect eclipse camp from natives
Lockyer’s Eclipse Expeditions
The Varanger Fjord Eclipse of 1896
Norman Lockyer and Sir William with the 9¨ Prismatic Camera
Lockyer’s Eclipse Expeditions
The perfect organisation of time signals is a fundamental condition of success!
1898 Indian Eclipse at Viziadrug
1927 Solar Eclipse
Norman Lockyer died in 1920 and his son William James was now director
1927 Solar Eclipse
Social History
WJS Lockyer was a keen
aviator. There are many
plates of the early days of
ballooning with Charles Rolls
in 1908. (of Rolls Royce
fame)
Social History
Aerial Photography
WJS Lockyer took
many aerial
photos, both from
ballooning and
aeroplane.
Also cloud
photographs &
lightening strikes.
The Royal Aero Club
At Muswell Manor, Leysdown in 1909. These are some of the
earliest pioneer aviators: From left to right standing: The owner of
Muswell Manor, Oswald, Horace and Eustace Short, Francis McLean,
Griffith Brewer, Frank Hedges Butler, Dr Lockyer, Warwick Wright;
seated are JTC Moore-Brabazon, Wilbur and Orville Wright and
Charles Rolls.
The Rescue of the NLO
James Lockyer died in
1936 and the day to
day running was taken
over by Univ. College
of SW England. All
observations ceased on
the retirement of
Donald Barber in 1961.
The NLO Today
East Devon District
Council purchased
the site for
posterity in 1985,
and the NLO was
formally re-opened
by Patrick Moore in
1989
The NLO Today
Major developments:
New planetarium in 1996
Donald Barber Lecture
Theatre in 2006
The NLO Today
The NLO Today
Primarily a UK
charity working for
Astronomical
Education in the
South West U.K.
Manned by
volunteers/retired
professional
astronomers.
Recent Projects
Restoration of the Lockyer Siderostat. Here it is in 1936
Recent Projects
The siderostat has been repaired and the solar spectrum is
projected into the observatory to show the Fraunhofer lines.
The NLO Today
We have 44 public
open evenings/yr.
Welcome school
groups, students
and run short
astronomy courses
throughout the
year.
In Summary
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We are aware that we have acquired a unique collection of archiv
es
archives
and plates
An initial attempt has been made on cataloging
cataloging them.
them.
We are concerned as to how best to preserve these archives and m
ake
make
them more readily available to the wider public.
We are a charity run by volunteers so have limited finances and also
limited time!
Thank you very much for inviting me!
David Strange
Chairman: Norman Lockyer Observatory
www.normanlockyer.org
Dear David,
> Gerald White has suggested I write to you, as you were instrumental
> in helping to save many of Lockyer's spectral plates at Norman
> Lockyer Observatory.
It is good to hear from you, and to know that the NLO is flourishing.
My involvement with the NLO really came through the IAU Task Force for the
Preservation and Digitization of Photographic Plates, a group of about 80-90
who are involved in (or sometimes sideline supporters of) the rescue of
historic photographic information into a preserved (probably digital) format so
as to avoid loss through deterioration or destruction. I Chaired the PDPP
since its creation in 2000, and we publish an occasional Newsletter, "Scan-IT"
(http://www.lhobs.org/PDPP.html).
Do you have any personal knowledge of this plate collection, that
> would be relevant for discussion in the seminar?
No, nothing that cannot be divined from studying the observing note-books
(which I believe you also have?). It would be useful, for instance, to get a
ball-park figure for how many plates there are in that collection, and to show
(if you can) a slide or quick scan that demonstrates a 'typical' exposure (if
there is such a thing).
My own suggestion for that collection would be to digitize the observing logs,
so that one can query on-line what the collection contains and on what dates a
given star was observed. I could offer an ascii template for that, or a list
of FITS headers. Any request you got could then be met by a quick scan of the
original, and only followed up with a more detailed, precise one if and when
the requester needed it. Having said that, it would be very valuable to set
aside spectra of stars known to vary, since there you could have something of
true scientific worth - but that will also require preparing that digital
contents catalogue first.
You are very welcome to share any of the above with anyone interested, both
at the meeting and at the NLO.
I look forward to learning more about the meeting, and wish you well.
With kind regards,
Elizabeth Griffin