Seagrave Memorial Observatory is an
astronomical observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...
located in
North Scituate, Rhode Island
North Scituate is a village in the town of Scituate, Rhode Island. Since 1967, the village has been home to the Scituate Art Festival. . It is named after astronomer Frank Evens Seagrave and is wholly owned and operated by Skyscrapers, Inc.
The main instrument is an 8¼-inch
Alvan Clark
Alvan Clark (March 8, 1804 – August 19, 1887), born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, the descendant of a Cape Cod whaling family of English ancestry, was an American astronomer and telescope maker.
Biography
He started as a portrait painter and engra ...
refracting telescope
A refracting telescope (also called a refractor) is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens (optics), lens as its objective (optics), objective to form an image (also referred to a dioptrics, dioptric telescope). The refracting telescope d ...
which was given to Frank Evens Seagrave for his 16th birthday in 1876, however the telescope took two years to build, so he did not receive it until 1878.
The telescope and Seagrave Observatory (as the private observatory was then known)
were originally at 119 Benefit Street in Providence.
At the time it was the third largest telescope in New England.
The telescope was moved to North Scituate in October 1914 when the construction of the current observatory was completed.
The observatory was acquired by the Skycrapers in 1936 after the death of Seagrave.
See also
*
List of astronomical observatories
This is a list of astronomical observatories ordered by name, along with initial dates of operation (where an accurate date is available) and location. The list also includes a final year of operation for many observatories that are no longer in ...
Notes
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Rhode Island, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System, Education, Science
Astronomical observatories in Rhode Island
North Scituate, Rhode Island