255 photographic glass plate negatives (gelatin dry plates), stored in 23 original plate boxes, haphazardly arranged. All appear to be original plates, mostly exposed in the early 1930s. About half (127) show buildings, telescopes, instruments and people at Boyden Observatory, South Africa, most...
A collection of images of the 60-inch telescope at Boyden Observatory, and its mounting, under construction. These form part of a series of images of the construction of this facility, which is dated to May 1932. A faded pencilled note on the plate box reads: "60[inch] telesc no2". n/a. Extent...
Installing the polar axis of the 60-inch Rockefeller Telescope.
Scope & Content:
Interior view of the 60-inch Rockefeller building under construction. The polar axis of the mount is suspended by a crane and is positioned near the north pier. A person, wearing a hat, is seated on the axis near the cross head. The walls are not yet clad and buildings are visible in the backgro...
Installing the polar axis of the 60-inch Rockefeller Telescope.
Scope & Content:
Interior view of the 60-inch Rockefeller building under construction. The polar axis of the mount is suspended by a crane and is positioned near the north pier. A person, wearing a hat, is seated on the axis near the cross head. The walls are not yet clad and buildings are visible in the backgro...
Looking down into the pit of the 60-inch Rockefeller, facing roughly south. The polar axis and declination counterweight are in place, as is the empty cradle for the telescope tube. The tube is shown at the right of the image, standing upright and encased in a wooden structure. The walls of the ...
Boyden Plate Box 32: Boyden Observatory, 60-inch dome construction
Scope & Content:
A collection of images, from June 1931 to June 1932, showing progress on the construction of the turret for the 60-inch telescope at Boyden Observatory. Of special interest are two images which show the truss work being assembled in Johannesburg in the yard of the manufacturer. A faded pencilled...
60-inch Rockefeller building under construction, 1931 November 11
Scope & Content:
Construction site of the 60-inch building, seen from the west. The primary brickwork is in place: the foyer in the south-west, and the circular dome support wall. On top of the circular wall the lowest portion of the metal wall truss can be seen, supported on stacked columns of wood. Two tall V-...
Construction of the 60-inch building, viewed most likely from the north. The walls and roof trusses of the turret are in place. The central section of the telescope tube is being moved into the turret. Inside the turret the upper section of the telescope tube, partially encased in planks of wood...