“You don’t work for Lowell Observatory, you are Lowell Observatory.”
1966 landmark dedication. Lowell Observatory Archives
LOWELL OBSERVATORY Celebrating a 125-year-long relationship
AND FLAGSTAFF
T
KEVIN SCHINDLER, HISTORIAN, AND JEFFREY HALL, DIRECTOR
he year 2019 is marked by an uncanny number of anniversaries with strong northern Arizona ties. John Wesley Powell led his first expedition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon 150 years ago, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill into law designating the Grand Canyon a national park 100 years ago and astronauts who had trained in northern Arizona first set foot on the Moon 50 years ago. Then there is the 125th anniversary of a gentleman astronomer arriving in Flagstaff and establishing the community’s first permanent research facility. His name was Percival Lowell and the astronomical observatory he established has grown into a world-recognized center of research and education. We are pleased to share some of the highlights of the observatory’s 125 years in this special publication by our friends at the Arizona Daily Sun. Lowell Observatory is known for its legacy of cutting-edge research ranging from detection of the first evidence of the expanding universe in 1912 and discovery of Pluto in 1930, to modern-day studies of the solar system and beyond with one of the world’s most powerful tools for exploring space, Lowell’s Discovery Channel Telescope. The observatory is also a center for informal science education, with recent surges in visitation demonstrating the public’s desire to
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Longtime Lowell director John Hall. Lowell Observatory Archives
Percival Lowell. Lowell Observatory Archives seek out activities that allow them to experience wonder and awe. In itself, this dual identity of Lowell—as a research center that also educates and entertains guests—makes for a unique story and is shared elsewhere in this
publication. But there is much more, because Lowell has accomplished this not as a lone organization isolated from the rest of northern Arizona, but as an active, dedicated member of the community.
Lowell’s Discovery Channel Telescope. Lowell Observatory Archives
Lowell has, in many ways, grown up alongside Flagstaff. Both the city and the observatory trace their beginnings to the southeastern side of the mesa known today by locals as Mars Hill. It was here that the original town site of Flagstaff—established in 1884—was located. Downtown was later moved a mile to the east, where the flatter grade proved easier for outgoing trains trying to gather speed. Ten years after Flagstaff’s founding, and only three years after Coconino County was established, Percival Lowell’s assistant, Andrew Douglass, climbed to the top of that same mesa on a cool day in April to observe the quality of the air for telescopic viewing. This was the 11th site he had tested in Arizona, with a goal of finding an ideal location to build Lowell’s observatory. Mars Hill proved the most suitable of all the places Douglass had tested in Flagstaff, as well as in Tombstone, Tucson, Tempe and Prescott. Douglass decided to build the facility a half mile to the north of Site 11, where the slope up the mesa was gentler and thus more ideal to build a road upon. When word got out that Flagstaff was the chosen location for the new observatory, 82 community members signed a letter pledging their support. The names represent a who’s who of Flagstaff pioneers—Babbitts, Riordans, Brannens and others—and the gesture triggered a long, mutually beneficial relationship between the community and observatory. Lowell and Flagstaff followed parallel, often crossing, paths on their journeys to maturity. As Flagstaff celebrated the growth of Arizona that Please see OBSERVATORY, Page A4
Current Director Jeffrey Hall. Lowell Observatory Archives
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LOWELL OBSERVATORY 125TH ANNIVERSARY
ARIZONA DAILY SUN
A legacy of
discovery Historic research at Lowell
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KEVIN SCHINDLER, HISTORIAN
few years ago, several staff members at Lowell Observatory responded to an email asking what they viewed as the 10 most important discoveries in the observatory’s history. Among those answering was a member of founder Percival Lowell’s family, astronomers with various research interests, educators, historians and a public relations specialist. Not surprisingly, the results varied widely, not only in items listed, but in the ranking of those items commonly listed. While one person, for instance, rated the discovery of Pluto at the top because of the public awareness about Lowell that it engendered (as well as the addition of a planet to our solar system), another person put the little-known work (in public circles, at least) of 1950s scientist Harold Johnson ahead of Pluto’s discovery because it led Lowell into the modern era of research. The point is, everyone has a different perspective on what is important, so here we will discuss some of the historic scientific research Lowell Observatory is most known for, and then list a few more that are lesser known but still important to the bigger picture.
The discovery of Pluto in 1930 In 1905, Percival Lowell began searching for a theoretical ninth planet in our solar system that he called Planet X. Lowell died in 1916, having come up empty-handed, but, a dozen years later, Clyde Tombaugh picked up the search and discovered Pluto in 1930. This put Lowell Observatory and Flagstaff on the map of the world, and this Pluto heritage continues to draw visitors to the observatory.
Percival Lowell popularizing the notion of life on Mars This crosses the threshold of science into pop culture, but it nonetheless was based on scientific observations and conclusions, incorrect as they may have been. Percival Lowell was a gifted writer and orator who mesmerized people with his provocative ideas of intelligent life on Mars. Long after Lowell’s ideas were disproven, his name is nevertheless commonly brought up in modern scientific discussions of extraterrestrial life.
Percival Lowell. Lowell Observatory Archives instrument and pioneered many new techniques with it. Starting in 1912, he used the spectrograph to observe a number of distant fuzzy blotches and soon realized they were moving at incredible speeds, mostly away from us. These observations helped revolutionize scientists’ understanding of the universe, showing that it must be much older and vaster than previously thought. We now know Slipher was observing what we know today as galaxies and his research findings represented the first evidence of the expanding universe.
The first evidence of the expanding universe Astronomer Vesto Melvin “V.M.” Slipher began working at the observatory in 1902. One of his first projects was to learn how to use a spectrograph, an instrument that, when attached to a telescope and pointed at a celestial object, can allow scientists to determine that body’s composition, as well as if it’s moving away from us or toward us. Over the next decade, Slipher mastered using the
Moon mapping in support of the Apollo Missions This may not head the list in other years, but it certainly does in 2019 as Art Adel did some of his work in infrared astronomy at Lowell and later spent the bulk of his career at Northern Arizona University. Lowell Observatory Archives
Robert Burnham Jr. was involved in a study of the proper motion of stars. Lowell Observatory Archives
Please see DISCOVERY, Page A8
Otto Franz studied double stars among other things during his nearly six decades at Lowell. Photo by Kevin Schindler M 1
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Special Section 1
Flagstaff’s
Lunar Landmarks
Scenic Lo op R d
Dale Jackson (USGS) with astronauts astr C.C. Williams, F Frank Borman (Apollo 8) and Gene Cernan (Apollo 10 and 17) Crater Volcano National att Sunset Cr 1964. NASA Monument, 1964
Trail Map
Walk where the astronauts trained during the Apollo Moon Missions ASTRONAUT TRAINING SITE
Flagstaff’s Lunar Landmarks Trail Map & Passport
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Hwy 89 to Scenic Loop Rd (30 minutes)
Available for FREE at the
Flagstaff Visitor Center
Spacesuit esuit and equipment ttesting at Cinder Lake e Cr Crater Field, 1967. USGS
One E. Route 66
FREE
89
Apollo 15 astronauts Jim Irwin and Dave Scott with Lunar Rover simulator at Cinder Lake Crater Field, 1970. NASA
Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong during Grand Canyon National Park field test, 1964. NASA
ASTRONAUT TRAINING SITE
Cinder Lake Crater Field Call ahead or visit the Flagstaff Ranger Station for approved access and guided tour information ASTRONAUT TRAINING SITE
Grand Canyon National Park Hwy 180 north (1 hour, 20 minutes)
Apollo 16 astronauts Charlie Duke and John Young with Lunar Rover simulator at Cinder Lake Crater Field, 1970. USGS
nsend-Winona Tow Rd
Museum of Northern Arizona
Flagstaff Ranger Station 5075 Hwy 89 (Open Monday-Friday 8 am-4pm)
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TRAINING ROVER EXHIBIT
Lowell Observatory’s historic Clark Telescope
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discoverflagstaff.com/lunarlegacy
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H A P PY 1 2 5 T H A N N I V E R S A RY LOW E L L O B S E RVAT O RY !
A4 | Sunday, May 26, 2019
LOWELL OBSERVATORY 125TH ANNIVERSARY
ARIZONA DAILY SUN
(Left to right) Bill Putnam, Maureen Hendricks, Kitty Putnam, John Hendricks, Julie Millis and Bob Millis attend a ceremony announcing partnership between Lowell and Discovery Communications. Lowell Observatory Archives
Observatory From A1
led to statehood in 1912, Lowell astronomer V.M. Slipher detected the first evidence of the expanding universe. Clyde Tombaugh’s 1930 discovery of Pluto brought unprecedented media attention to Flagstaff, resulting in increased visitation to the area that, like the rest of the country, was suffering through the Great Depression. Such Lowell-related attention has been repeated through the years, with examples including the New Horizons spacecraft’s flyby of Pluto in 2015 and the Great American Eclipse of 2017. Visitation not only benefits Lowell but also, of course, Flagstaff in general, with restaurants, hotels and other attractions all profiting from the resulting income. And this will increase in coming years as Lowell embarks on an unprecedented era of expansion to its visitor experience. The intertwined development of Lowell alongside Flagstaff is evident in other ways. Lowell was the community’s first permanent scientific establishment and helped pave the way for other research organizations to come here to study the area’s rich array of natural resources. Four years after the observatory opened its doors, the first weather station in Flagstaff was established, run by Elizabeth Renoe, wife of future U.S. Senator Henry Fountain Ashurst. Additional research centers followed through the years: the country’s first forest research station, known today as the Fort Valley Experiment Station, in 1908; the Museum of Northern Arizona in 1928; the Atmospheric Research Station at today’s Northern Arizona University in 1952; the U.S. Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station in 1955; the Astrogeology Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey in 1963; and many more. Then there is Northern Arizona University and Coconino Community College, where research is combined with preparing tomorrow’s scientists, and the Flagstaff Festival of Science, the oldest continuously running free science festival in the Western Hemisphere. All this adds up to science as a major component of the foundation on which Flagstaff is built. While Lowell helped pave the way for the development of Flagstaff as a scientific community, it also played a leading role in a related effort—establishing the city as a dark sky community. In 1958, scientists at Lowell prepared to add a large telescope to its fleet of research instruments. (This, the Perkins Telescope, was the fifth largest in the world at the time; coincidentally, 60 years later, Lowell’s Discovery Channel Telescope is the fifth largest telescope in the continental United States.) Such an instrument called for the darkest observing conditions possible, and so the scientists talked with members of Flagstaff’s city council, who enacted a regulation limiting the use of searchlights in the area. This was the world’s first lighting ordinance and served as the first step in establishing Flagstaff as a leader in dark sky protection. In 1989, Coconino County passed the world’s first law restricting both the type of light and amount of light allowed per acre, and in 2001, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) recognized these ongoing efforts by naming Flagstaff the world’s first International Dark Sky City. IDA Executive Director David Crawford said at the time, “No other city or town has shown such an overall commitment to protecting the quality of its dark skies, not only for the observatories, but for all the citizens of northern Arizona.”
V.M. Slipher uncovered the first evidence of the expanding universe. Lowell Observatory Archives
Site 11 on the southern edge of what is today known as Mars Hill. Lowell Observatory Archives Like any organization, Lowell Observatory is only as good as the people working there. And Lowell has been home to generations of exemplary employees, many of whom have recognized the value of serving not only their employer but their community. Astronomer E.C. Slipher set a great example, serving on numerous committees and boards around town and even taking on the duties of mayor from 1918 to 1920. One of the co-founders of United Way
of Northern Arizona was Bernice Giclas, one-time employee at Lowell and astronomer Henry Giclas’s wife. Astronomer Nat White was a founding board member of Coconino Community College and also served on the Flagstaff City Council, and many other observatory staff members have played leading roles in community matters. Much of this may be attributed to the sense of ownership Lowell staff feel for the community and the observatory. Direc-
tor Emeritus Bob Millis recently shared the observatory’s unwritten philosophy about this when recalling a statement by longtime director John Hall (no relation to current director Jeff Hall). When a staff member mentioned being an employee of Lowell, Hall responded, “You don’t work for Lowell Observatory, you are Lowell Observatory.” During these past 125 years, Lowell Observatory has been recognized as a Registered National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service and an Arizona Treasure by former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano. It was included by First Lady Hillary Clinton in her Save America’s Treasures program and named one of “The World’s 100 Most Important Places” by Time magazine in 2011. It was featured on the recently aired CBS news report about Flagstaff’s Lunar Legacy, and if you name a science education show—from Walt Disney’s Tomorrowland Program in the 1950s to modern-day specials on the Science Channel—chances are Lowell and, by extension, Flagstaff have been featured. The last century-plus has been a great ride for Lowell as both a research institution and member of the Flagstaff community. Yet we see this as just the foundation for what is yet to come. Stay tuned!
Flagstaff is renowned for its dedication to dark skies. Courtesy photo RIGHT: During his 40-plus years at Lowell, astronomer Nat White was also an active member of the Flagstaff community. Photo by Jake Bacon
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LOWELL OBSERVATORY 125TH ANNIVERSARY
Sunday, May 26, 2019 | A5
Lowell astronomer Gerard van Belle stands inside one of the telescope domes of the Navy Optical Precision Interferometer on Anderson Mesa. Photo by Jake Bacon
Research at Lowell stronger than ever MICHAEL WEST
LOWELL OBSERVATORY
Nearly 45,000 nights have passed since the first telescope arrived on Mars Hill. In that time, Lowell astronomers have been at the forefront of astronomical research. It was here that Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930 and Vesto Slipher made the first observations of the expanding universe nearly two decades earlier. That tradition continues today with Lowell Observa-
tory’s state-of-the-art Discovery Channel Telescope and the ongoing discoveries being made by the current generation of Lowell astronomers. Every planet, star and galaxy has a unique story to tell, and Lowell astronomers are internationally recognized experts at revealing and interpreting those stories. Current astronomical research at Lowell is remarkably diverse. Some Lowell astronomers study the sun,
planets, comets, asteroids and other members of the solar system. Others examine the life cycles of stars and the planetary systems orbiting them. Still others study galaxies, mysterious dark matter and the farthest reaches of the universe. Lowell astronomers, postdoctoral researchers and students published more than 65 papers in leading scientific journals last year— more than one new paper each week on average—and
this work was supported by millions of dollars in research grants from NASA, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Marley Foundation and other generous gifts from donors. While much of this research makes use of the observatory’s telescopes here in the Flagstaff area, Lowell astronomers also use other major facilities around the world and in space, including the Hubble Space Telescope. Additionally, Lowell astronomers are key members of space missions such
as the New Horizons flyby of Pluto and Ultima Thule, and they use cutting-edge experimental facilities such as the Astrophysical Materials Lab at Northern Arizona University to learn more about the properties of these icy worlds. The Navy Precision Optical Interferometer at nearby Anderson Mesa, a unique collaborative effort between the U.S. Naval Observatory, the Naval Research Laboratory and Lowell, combines the light collected by multiple telescopes to achieve extremely high-pre-
cision measurements that surpass anything possible with a single telescope. “Step-by-step astronomy wrests fresh secrets from the starry abysses.” These words, written by 19th-century English poet and journalist Edwin Arnold, are as true today as they were then. We are living in a Golden Age of astronomical discovery, and Lowell Observatory is helping to lead the way. Michael West is the deputy director for science at Lowell Observatory.
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LOWELL OBSERVATORY 125TH ANNIVERSARY
ARIZONA DAILY SUN
LOWELL OBSERVATORY Revealing the universe for 125 years
P
KEVIN SCHINDLER
ercival Lowell, a member of an influential Boston family, decided to devote money and energy to the study of Mars after he became intrigued by observations of the planet made by Italian
astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli. Lowell chose Flagstaff as the site of his observatory. The 24-inch Alvan Clark & Sons telescope he installed is still in use today for public education at the private, nonprofit research institution.
1894 April 3: After visiting Tombstone, Tucson, Tempe and Prescott over the previous month, Andrew Douglass arrives in Flagstaff. His mission is to find an ideal site to build Lowell’s new astronomical observatory. Lowell makes his choice known in an April 16 telegram to Douglass that reads, “Flagstaff. Hurry preparations for dome.”
Illustrator Patricia Bridges creating Moon map. Lowell Observatory Archives
May 28: Percival Lowell arrives in Flagstaff, commencing operations at his new observatory. This is Flagstaff’s first permanent scientific institution, and its founding is critical in establishing the community as a viable center for scientific research.
1895 Percival Lowell publishes “Mars,” his first of several books that help popularize the idea of life on Mars and beyond.
1912 Astronomer V.M. Slipher obtains the first evidence of the expanding universe, demonstrating that the universe must be much more vast and older than previously believed.
1930 Feb 18: 24-year-old assistant Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto, culminating and on-again, off-again search for a ninth planet begun by Percival Lowell in 1905. This is the first and, to date, only planet in our solar system discovered in the United States.
Pluto discovery plates, with arrow pointing to Pluto. Lowell Observatory Archives
1957 Dec. 24: Under the guidance of astronomer Henry Giclas, Lowell commences a 22-year study of the “proper motion” of stars that compares sky images taken decades apart. The Disney program “Mars and Beyond,” featuring Lowell Observatory, is released as a theatrical featurette. The show highlights the work of Mars researcher E.C. Slipher and is but one example of the media seeking out the expertise of Lowell scientists and educators.
1958 At the urging of Lowell scientists, Flagstaff enacts the world’s first dark skies ordinance. This lays the path for future regulations that culminates in the community’s designation as the first International Dark Sky City in 2001. Flagstaff continues to serve as a model for dark skies protection.
Star Trails over the Discovery Channel Telescope dome. Photo by Joe Llama
1963 Jan. 16: The second class of astronauts, the so-called “Next Nine” that includes Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell and Tucson native Frank Borman, visit Lowell to learn about the lunar mapping efforts going on here. This is part of a training exercise in northern Arizona that includes stops at Meteor Crater and Sunset Crater.
1965 Dec. 21: The National Park Service designates Lowell Observatory a National Historic Landmark for “astronomical research here (that) has contributed greatly to the knowledge of the universe.”
1977 While observing an occultation of Uranus with both a ground-based telescope and the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, astronomers from Lowell Observatory and other research institutions discover rings around the planet.
1978 Based on observations with several research instruments, including Lowell Observatory’s Perkins Telescope, Vera Rubin and Kent Ford confirm the existence of dark matter.
Vera Rubin at Lowell’s Perkins Telescope. Lowell Observatory Archives
ARIZONA DAILY SUN
LOWELL OBSERVATORY 125TH ANNIVERSARY
Sunday, May 26, 2019 | A7
Percival Lowell in the 24-inch Clark dome, ca. 1901-1905. Lowell Observatory Archives
2012
2017
July 21: Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, helps Lowell Observatory celebrate first light of the Discovery Channel Telescope with a rousing presentation about the value of scientific research.
Astronomy magazine editor Dave Eicher nicknames Lowell “America’s Observatory.”
2018 Lowell’s annual attendance exceeds 100,000 for the first time, demonstrating the ever-increasing popularity of the observatory as an educational and entertainment destination.
2019 Lowell plans to open the 4,300-squarefoot Giovale Open Deck Observatory, a new public viewing facility with six telescopes.
Larry Wasserman, Ralph Nye and Bob Millis prepare for an occultation expedition in the 1980s. Lowell Observatory Archives
1988 Using the same techniques that resulted in the discovery of the rings of Uranus, Lowell astronomers collaborate with scientists elsewhere to detect an atmosphere around Pluto.
1994 Lowell Observatory honors its centennial by opening the Steele Visitor Center, a state-of-the-art science education facility.
2005 July 11: Lowell Observatory breaks ground for its Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT), one of the world’s most powerful telescopes and the fifth largest in the continental United States. This facility will keep Lowell at the forefront of astronomical research for years to come.
2011 Time magazine names Lowell Observatory one of “The World’s 100 Most Important Places.”
Astronomer Stephen Levine operates the DCT as astronaut Neil Armstrong looks through eyepiece. Lowell Observatory Archives
2015 July 14: 85 years after Clyde Tombaugh’s discovery of Pluto, Lowell scientist Wil Grundy helps lead the New Horizons mission’s flyby of Pluto. This changes our view of Pluto from an enigmatic, icy body to a vibrant world with active geological processes.
Longtime observer/researcher associate Brian Skiff at the 24-inch Clark Telescope. Lowell Observatory Archives
A8 | Sunday, May 26, 2019
LOWELL OBSERVATORY 125TH ANNIVERSARY
ARIZONA DAILY SUN
A LETTER OF SUPPORT Following word that Lowell Observatory’s construction was planned for Site 11 in Flagstaff, 82 community members signed a letter pledging their support. This list of names reads like a who’s who of Flagstaff pioneers, and the gesture triggered a long, mutually beneficial relationship between the community and observatory.
Longtime astronomer Wes Lockwood studied variations in the Sun and Sun-like stars. Lowell Observatory Archives
Discovery From A2
we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first manned Moon landing. A lot of attention has come to Flagstaff this year because of the role Flagstaff organizations played in support of the Apollo Moon program. At Lowell, a branch of the U.S. Air Force rented the 24-inch Clark Telescope and, later, the 20-inch Morgan Telescope to create detailed maps of the lunar surface. The second class of astronauts, which includes the likes of Neil Armstrong and Jim Lovell, also visited Lowell during a training trip to Flagstaff.
But that’s not all
Some other notable historic research at Lowell, in no particular order, includes: Co-discovery of the rings of Uranus in 1977 by a team of scientists including many from Lowell Co-discovery of Pluto’s atmosphere in 1988 by a team of scientists including many from Lowell A study of the proper motion of stars (proper motion is the apparent motion of a star with respect to background stars) that lasted from 1957 to 1981 Longstanding studies identifying and characterizing asteroids and comets Carl Lampland’s measurement of the temperature of planets
Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930, effectively putting Lowell Observatory on the map. Lowell Observatory Archives Harold Johnson’s development and mastery of the photoelectric photometer in the 1950s—this instrument measures the intensity of light from a celestial object by focusing that light into a photosensitive cell Photography of planets begun by E.C. Slipher in the 1900s and continuing into the 1980s by the International Planetary Patrol program at Lowell Measuring the positions of double stars Art Adel’s pioneering work in infrared astronomy, starting in the 1930s, that included finding windows in Earth’s atmosphere through which infrared radiation could be detected Characterizing the longterm variability of Sun-like stars
Astronomer Henry Giclas led a decades-long study of the proper motion of stars. Lowell Observatory Archives
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Special Section 1
We’re star struck. Wishing Lowell Observatory a happy 125th anniversary.
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LOWELL OBSERVATORY 125TH ANNIVERSARY
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experts to the
community
From the
Outreach programs offered by Lowell Observatory include Camps for Kids, which gives children hands-on activities to explore STEM elements. Lowell Observatory Archives
Welcoming visitors for 125 years
O
MEGAN STANLEY, EDUCATOR
ne hundred t we n t y - f i v e years is a long time to endure change and experience growth. However, Lowell Observatory and its public outreach program have done just that. Percival Lowell’s original mission for his observatory focused more on research than outreach, yet Lowell did want to openly share the results of those studies, ideally from the point of view of the person conducting the research. He thought it important to share the knowledge of the universe with the public, not hoard it in an ivory tower in which only a handful of scientists could benefit from it. Lowell wrote in his 1906 book “Mars and its Canals,” “To set forth science in a popular, that is, in a generally understandable, form is as obligatory as to present it in a more technical manner. If people are to benefit from it, it must be expressed to their comprehension.” The heart of this statement—that scientific knowledge should be shared with everyone to understand—still guides the public program today. Soon after opening in 1894, the observatory began posting notices in the Coconino Sun, inviting locals up to Mars Hill to peer through telescopes and explore the universe for themselves. The astronomical research staff guided these viewing sessions, as well as daytime tours when visitors found their way to the campus. Clyde Tombaugh’s discovery of Pluto in 1930 brought increased attention—and a comparable increase in visitation—to the observatory. The lucky visitor may even have attended a tour hosted by Tombaugh himself. The tour times and programs became more standardized as Lowell gained popularity through
The Steele Visitor Center opened in 1994. Lowell Observatory Archives the years. The Rotunda eventually served as the observatory’s visitor center, featuring historic exhibits, a small space to sell some souvenirs and a single bathroom with one toilet. And so the public program went until the late 1980s, when Sole Trustee Bill Putnam and Director Bob Millis began envisioning an expanded visitor experience. In 1991, they hired the public program’s first full-time director, Bill Buckingham, who added two dozen classes and workshops to the observatory’s public offerings. Annual attendance surged from 26,900 in fiscal year 1990-1991 to 43,267 the following year. Meanwhile, the observatory planned for a modern, dedicated facility for education. Thus was born the Steele Visitor Center, which opened during the observatory’s centennial year in 1994. The Lawrence Lowell (Pluto Discovery) Telescope was also brought from the Anderson Mesa research facility to Mars Hill, where guests could relive Pluto’s discovery. In 1995, the first full year the visitor center was open, annual attendance was up to 64,371. In the few decades since, the public program has experienced change and growth in many areas, with the addition of the 16-inch McAllister Telescope, numerous portable telescopes, summer
camps, expanded gift shop, additional parking and much more. Then there is the spectacularly successful outreach program to Native American communities, started by astronomers Deidre Hunter and Amanda Bosh more than two decades ago and still going strong. In 2018, the observatory experienced its first 100,000-plus visitor year and the need for more change and growth is stronger than ever. This fall, Lowell will open the state-of-the-art Giovale Open Deck Observatory (GODO) which features a suite of six telescopes, just for public viewing. Looking further into the future, Lowell is planning to open a new visitor center, digital theater and open-sky planetarium. One hundred twenty-five years is a long time to watch the world go by. Although a lot has changed over the decades on Mars Hill, the core of Lowell’s public outreach has remained the same. Every interaction with a visitor is an opportunity to inspire wonder, help develop critical thinking skills and imagine more than they might have originally thought possible. Percival Lowell believed that imagination was vital to science—an idea that lives on each time a child asks about exploding stars, or aliens, or if Pluto is a planet.
Sharing the knowledge discovered at the observatory was a main tenet of Percival Lowell.
Lowell Observatory’s Rotunda Museum. Lowell Observatory Archives
A story of success TEZNIE PUGH, OPERATIONS MANAGER
The Discovery Channel Telescope. Lowell Observatory Archives
It has been seven years since the First Light Ceremony at Lowell Observatory’s Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT). While the journey to that point had been a long and sometimes slow one for the team designing and building the telescope and facility, first light really marks the beginning of DCTs story, a story of success that hinged on the decisions made by the design, construction and engineering teams who have since moved on from Lowell. The team who, I’m sure, spent nights awake struggling with how to ensure the almost 30,000-pound mirror and mirror cell would move smoothly enough to meet the science requirements or how the four-inch-thick, 14-foot-diameter mirror would hold its shape well enough to deliver the desired image quality has since moved on to build other things. But their legacy lives on in this telescope. As an astronomer by trade, I’ve visited many telescopes and it strikes me every time I do just how easy and convenient
the DCT is to run, both for the operators and for the science users. The DCT has proven to be incredibly efficient, partly due to the unique design of the instrument cube which allows five instruments to simultaneously ride the telescope and instrument swaps to take no more than a few minutes. The following instruments have been used at DCT, at various times, since first light in 2012: Large Monolithic Imager (LMI): A visible wavelength camera DeVeny: A low-resolution visible wavelength spectrograph Differential Speckle Survey Instrument (DSSI): A dual-wavelength speckle interferometer Near-Infrared High-Throughput Spectrograph (NIHTS): A near-infrared low-resolution spectrograph Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrograph (IGRINS): A high-resolution infrared spectrograph Extreme Precision Spectrometer (EXPRES): A high-resolution, Please see SUCCESS, Page A11
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Expanding
horizons The future of Lowell Observatory
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W. LOWELL PUTNAM, SOLE TRUSTEE
y duty as Sole Trustee of Lowell Observatory is to keep faith with Percival Lowell’s statement in his Will requiring that the observatory “pursue the study of astronomy…at my observatory in Flagstaff, and such other places as may from time to time be convenient…” If, as Shakespeare wrote, “past is prologue,” then the next 125 years will see Lowell Observatory expand its presence while still keeping its center in Flagstaff. Our combined mission of studying important astronomical events and engaging with the public has served us well and will continue to be our guiding principle. Lowell picked Flagstaff for its good “seeing,” dry, clear weather and dark skies. As he said, “Only in places raised above … can he profitably pursue his search…. To stand a mile and a half nearer the stars is not to stand immune.” While there is likely to still be ground-based observing for decades to come, there is growing momentum in establishing satellite-based observing platforms and observing facilities on the Moon. Lowell Observatory will be part of that growth. At the same time, we will continue to engage with the public about astronomy and what we learn. Much of that engagement will happen on Mars Hill with our expanded campus. We will also be reaching out through online platforms and visits to other
While Lowell’s 4.3-meter Discovery Channel Telescope is the fifth-largest telescope in the United States, the future for the observatory includes platforms and faciltities in space. Photo by Joe Llama places to talk with people about astronomy. As Lowell said, “If astronomy teaches anything, it teaches that man is but a detail in
the evolution of the universe…” There is much more to learn about the universe and our place in it. The observatory will con-
tinue to play a leading role in growing our understanding and sharing the joy of those discoveries with our visitors.
A rendering of the Giovale Open Deck Observatory (GODO), which will be built on 4,300 square feet of land near the Lowell Observatory Pluto telescope. COURTESY IMAGE
Success From A10
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high-precision, optical spectrograph. During the winters of 2016 through 2018, IGRINS visited DCT from the McDonald Observatory in Texas. This instrument saw a two- to three-fold increase in observing efficiency, even after accounting for the increase in aperture size. The other advantage of the DCT instrument cube is that it can be configured to cover multiple data types or wavelength regimes, either simultaneously or in quick succession. For example, NIHTS has been equipped with a special mirror that allows it to only receive infrared light, so visible light is passed through for collection by other instruments.
Messier 27 (M27), also known as the Dumbbell Nebula, Diabolo Nebula or Apple Core Nebula, as seen through the Discovery Channel Telescope. Courtesy photo DCT has now been in full science operation since 2015, though the first data were collected in 2013. During this time, astronomers from Lowell Ob-
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51, as seen through Lowell Observatory’s Discovery Channel Telescope. Courtesy photo
servatory and our partner institutions (Northern Arizona University, Boston University, University of Maryland, University of Toledo, University of
Texas at Austin and Yale University) have used data collected at DCT for various projects ranging from hunting for the youngest planets, or studying the nature
of the tenuous dust in the outer reaches of the smallest galaxies, to monitoring the variations of comets as they approach the Sun to better understand their physical characteristics, or studying the chemical composition of the barely existent atmosphere of Mercury. Some of the science highlights from the past 18 months include: Suggestion that up to 50 percent of Pluto-like objects could exist in contact binaries, similar to Ultima Thule (the snowman-shaped body imaged by the New Horizon spacecraft this past January) Discovery of a red dwarfbrown dwarf binary star system within about 33 light years of the Sun Study of the rotation rate of the newly discovered—at the time—asteroid Oumuamua
A12 | Sunday, May 26, 2019
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“FLAGSTAFF IT IS.” — Percival Lowell
May 28, 2019 marks 125 years since Percival Lowell stepped off the train in Flagstaff to establish Lowell Observatory. We have been delighted to present the awe and wonder of the night sky to the public ever since.
Come celebrate with us under the dark skies of Mars Hill on June 6-8. Thursday, June 6th
Saturday, June 8th
Proclamations | 5:30pm
Junior Astronomer: 125th Anniversary Edition | All day
125th Anniversary Walking Tour | 6:00 – 7:30pm
Self Guided Stations/Treasure Hunt | 10:00am – 7:00pm
125th Anniversary Talk | 7:00 – 8:00pm
125th Anniversary Tour: Kids Edition | 12:00 – 1:00pm Learn about Mars and the Clark Telescope
Friday, June 7th Lunar Legacy Tour | 10:15 – 11:15am 125th Anniversary Tour: Kids Edition | 12:00 – 1:00pm Learn about Mars and the Clark Telescope
Spectroscopy | 1:00 – 2:00pm 125th Anniversary Tour: Kids Edition | 2:00 – 3:00pm The Grand Adventure of Finding Pluto Moon Viewing | 2:00 – 7:00pm
Moon Viewing | 12:00 – 5:00pm
125th Anniversary Walking Tour | 6:00 – 7:30pm
Spectroscopy | 1:00 – 2:00pm
“Carl Lampland, Pioneer Infrared Astronomer” | 7:00 – 8:00pm A special talk by Dr. Joseph Marcus
125th Anniversary Tour: Kids Edition | 2:00 – 3:00pm The Grand Adventure of Finding Pluto Preview of New Junior Astronomer Activities | 3:00 - 6:00pm
Get your ticket online at
125th Anniversary Walking Tour | 6:00 – 7:30pm
lowell.edu/125years
125th Anniversary Talk | 7:00 – 8:00pm
Lowell Observatory’s Discovery Channel Telescope
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