![]() ![]() I was also anxious to see and touch the huge telescopes that made a mark in our history! The Rotunda Library which was originally built by Lowell to house his book collection, now displays exhibits showing the history of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was so surreal and yet a feeling of honor to be sitting inside the historic library listening to astronomers lecture about the vastness and the mysteries of space. The camera that was used on the 24-inch Clark telescope to photograph Mars, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter was on display, even one of the original photographic plates. The Rotunda Library which was originally built by Lowell to house his book collection, now displays exhibits showing the history of the observatory. Our night started with a lecture about space inside the observatory’s old Rotunda Library. It is closely similar to the spot-the-difference puzzle that we are all familiar with. Amateur astronomer Clyde Tombaugh would photograph the same part of sky for several days apart and then use a Zeiss Blink Comparator to detect the motion of a nearby planet against the more distant “fixed” stars. When the construction was completed, the Observatory hired a Kansas farm boy named Clyde Tombaugh who later discovered Pluto. However, in 1916, Percival died and his brother – Harvard University President Abbott Lawrence Lowell – took over the estate and then funded the construction of a telescope (now called the Pluto Discovery Telescope) and a dome. Percival Lowell picked Flagstaff for his observatory believing that the high altitude and thin atmosphere would be ideal for observing the planet Mars. The Lowell Observatory was founded in Flagstaff in 1894 by astronomer Percival Lowell for his research on planet Mars. Who doesn’t? The Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona is the Home of Pluto. Yes, we deferred dinner to see the birthplace of Pluto. Or so we thought until we realized that Flagstaff is the home of the Lowell Observatory where Pluto was discovered! Despite our tired feet and empty stomachs, we decided that our day was not over yet and went to visit Lowell Observatory. We are finally heading to our hotel to rest at last! We drove out of Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah in the morning, we were at Lower Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend in Page Arizona by noon, and at Wupatki National Monument and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in Flagstaff, Arizona the rest of the day. If you have questions you can call (928) 774-3358 or visit their website.It has been a long day for us. *Keep your receipt from the day admission and you can come back at night for free.* Monday-Saturday: 10:00am - 10:00pm (Putnam Collection Center open 1pm-4pm).Head down Milton Road and when it starts to curve into Route 66, turn left. Ever wonder if we are alone in the universe? join in on hands-on experiments to see how space research is really conducted. Space Guard Academy: This exhibit lets guests experience cutting edge asteroid research and science, like learning how to spot asteroids!.Educators will be onsite to help you figure out what you are looking at through the telescope. Evening Telescope Viewings: Once the sun sets and the sky darkens, telescopes are open to view the night sky and all of its inhabitants.Solar Viewings: Interested in something other than the stars and planets? Solar viewings are available everyday at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm.Head outside to learn the mythology of constellations. Find out about the history of the observatory and current research projects. Visit the celebrated Clark Telescope Dome and Rotunda Library. The Lowell Tour: 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm.Learn about the discovery of Pluto that occurred here at Lowell Observatory! Take the path up the Solar System walk to the Pluto Discovery Telescope. ![]() The Story of Pluto: 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.The following two tours are meant to be taken back to back. Daily guided tours: Guided tours run from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm every day.The events offered are out of this world. There is plenty to do at the observatory both during the day and at night. What can I see and do at Lowell Observatory? ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |