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Westerville, Ohio: A 19 th Century center of Astronomy in Ohio.

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Presentation on theme: "Westerville, Ohio: A 19 th Century center of Astronomy in Ohio."— Presentation transcript:

1 Westerville, Ohio: A 19 th Century center of Astronomy in Ohio.

2 Who am I to make this judgment? I was, for 36 years, a teacher of Astronomy ( among other things) at Otterbein College. I have a BA, (Math/Physics), an MS (in Astronomy) and a PhD (in Astronomy) I lean toward History because of bad counseling in undergraduate school.

3 Why do we name things? To distinguish special features: Westerville – “The Dry Capitol of the Universe” “The Home of Otterbein College”

4 Why do we rename things? Agelaius phoeniceus Red-winged Blackbird

5 How do we name them? Black-wing Redbird

6 ... And Black-winged Blackbird

7 ... And Red-winged redbird

8 John Haywood: Mr. Westerville Came to teach Math and Natural Science at Otterbein University As a surveyor he laid out the streets of the town In 1858 he was elected mayor of newly chartered Village

9 Early Westerville map

10 A reasonable layout?

11 Note ID: Handley House

12 Oberlin College, Founded 1835 Mid-19 th Century: Astronomy was taught by Charles Churchill Hot topics in Astronomy: 1846 – 1850 1. Planets, comets, asteroids 2. Newtonian Gravitational Theory: = mathematics strongly applied to observations REMEMBER 1846 –1850!

13 John Haywood enters Oberlin to study Mathematics – 1846 Astronomy was a large part of applied mathematics Haywood became good at surveying and all forms of applied mathematics Graduated in 1850. Came to Otterbein in 1851

14 John Haywood: Astronomer A passion for the great problems of astronomy Otterbein College (University?) was strapped for money

15 Historical digression May 13, 1781 – Herschel discovers Uranus Very shortly found off course 1845 – John Couch Adams predicted a reason; ignored 1846 – Antoine LeVerrier did same contacted willing observer Sept. 23, 1846 – Johann Galle discovered Neptune!!! (It was within ½ degree of positions predicted by Adams and LeVerrier)

16 One of the BIG issues in astronomy in mid 19 th Century Kepler provided relative size of Planetary orbits (1619) Actual size of orbits known only to about 5% in 1850 Needed: Actual distance to one or more objects in Solar System

17 How can it be done? Triangulate on nearby planet from two or more places on earth Good prospect for greatest accuracy is Venus during transit of sun! This is a fairly rare event It happens that two such transits occurred in the 19 th Century

18 “Modern” Transits of Venus 1631 Dec. 6 1639 Dec. 4 1761 June 5 1769 June 3 1874 Dec. 8 1874 Dec. 6 2004 June 7 2012 June 5

19 What would one need? 1. A fair sized telescope (Approx. f. l. = 180”) 2. A transit instrument to fix Westerville location to within 0.5 mile, and determine local solar time and sidereal time to 1 sec. 3. A means of direct communication to another observatory. 4. An accurate clock to display time. 5. A chronograph to record precisely the critical aspects of the event.

20 Haywood/McFadden: close friends Telegraphic intercom Faculty colleagues Civil War trauma 1875 -- McFadden got $3000, Haywood $0

21 Haywood Appealed to College without success Urgent appeal to Board of Trustees in 1877 Board approved wholeheartedly Did not provide funds

22 Appeal was taken to the 253 alumni in 1878

23 Haywood want list

24 Bartlett, Willard; Education for Humanity, Otterbein College, 1934. P 204

25 Religious Telescope - - - 1878

26 Major questions remain Did John Haywood observe either transit of Venus? Did he ever get his “observatory? Did he feel his life in the United Brethren Church wasted?

27 T. J. Sanders graduated OC 1878 President, Otterbein College: 1891 – 1901 Graduated, Otterbein College: 1878 Faculty, Otterbein College:1902 – 1931 Observed 1874 Transit of Venus With Haywood!!!

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29 Issue of December 1882 Important 6 line notice!

30 Weird Professor on new deck

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34 Observatory on McFadden Hall 1982

35 14-inch housing 1982

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37 Telescope Housing 1982

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39 Observatory Deck 1982

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42 Haywood’s plea


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