Foggy Bottom Observatory Chronology: 1949-2000 (adapted from Colgate Journal of Science Article by Peter H. Siegel, 1976) 1948 June: Donation of 12.7-inch reflecting telescope by Dr. Louis Schelter and George Burlingame 1949: Proposal for construction of astronomical observatory (committee appointed by Dean of Faculty Sidney J. French: Professors of Physics Paul R. Gleason and Clement L. Henshaw; Professor of Mathematics Carl W. Munshower; Professor of Chemistry Alfred S. Brown; Assistant Professor of Astronomy Harold H. Lane; University Treasurer John W. Littlefield) 1949: Plans for observatory drawn up by Prof. Lane [final observatory less than third original design] 1949 November 6: Ground Breaking by Colgate President Everett Needham Case 1950 December: Construction of two floor 18-foot square building with dome completed by Bennett Construction Company of Earlville; solid cement pier extends 18-feet into ground; 12.7-inch telescope installed in building (total cost $6,200) 1951 May: Public opening of observatory building 1950s: Prof. Lane: photoelectric observations of stars (Cottrell Grant from Research Corporation); public open houses (Å thousand visitors per year); classes 1958 summer: 16-foot square wooden shed with hinged roof and sides built on northwestern side (under direction of Professor of Physics Donald K. Berkey) to house aurora camera and spectrograph 1960: Two 12-inch twin mounted reflecting telescopes (stored in rusting shed on north side of observatory building!) -- used by Prof. Lane for unsuccessful photometric observations of flare stars and atmospheric scintillation 1963: Trees planted around observatory at request of Mrs. Vincent Barnett 1966: Receipt of grant from National Science Foundation by Professor of Astronomy Anthony F. Aveni and Professor of Geology James McLelland as part of new Astrogeophysics concentration (first at undergraduate liberal arts college) to purchase research quality telescope 1967: 12.7-inch reflector donated to Morrissville Agricultural College 1967: 16-inch ('66 Chrysler Powder Blue) Model 1216 telescope received from Ferson Optical Company with ÒsophisticatedÓ digital coordinate readout system (cost $23,500) dual port: f/4 Newtonian focus; f/14 Cassegrain focus fully rotatable tube setting circle readouts [three systems made: Naval Academy in Annapolis -- now in west Virginia in public school system; St. Marks, prep school in Texas] 1968: Plumbing installed at observatory; first floor reconstructed (included darkroom); paved driveway 1968: Custom made ground glass plate camera (over 1200 plates by 1976) 1968: Cuffey Iris Astrophotometer 1970: Astrometrics photoelectric photometer system (RCA IP21 photomultiplier tube) 1971: Dr. Henry Paul of Norwich donates 5-inch Alvin Clark refracting telescope (Å 1895 vintage) 1971: 3-inch Questar finder telescope purchased by visiting Astronomy Professor William Nalesnik 1972 summer: Roll off roof shed constructed southeast of observatory around old 4- inch Bausch and Lomb telescope pier 1972: Sidereal and Universal Time clocks (!); ten 6-inch Criterion telescopes 1973 June: 5-inch Alvin Clark installed in roll of roof shed 1973: Home built spectrograph by Peter Siegel 1974 fall: Five foot diameter radio telescope (410 MHz) THE CCD ERA 1986 March 26-27: Harlow Shapley lecture and visit by Rudy Schild (Center for Astrophysics - Harvard College Observatory) 1986 November: Proposal submitted to National Science Foundation - College Science Instrumentation Program for purchase of CCD camera system 1987 June: NSF-CSIP grant for purchase of CCD camera system ($70,000) 1988 April: Photometrics PM3000 CCD camera system received; first light 1988 October 14-15: First quasar observations 1990 January 1: Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium receives first of five grants (over 11 years) from the W.M. Keck Foundation 1990: First KNAC summer student research program & fall symposium 1990 July: DECstation 5000 received; IRAF arrives (KNAC funding) 1991 January: Star I camera system received (KNAC funding) 1991 April 17 (UT): Asteroid 1991 HA (#6452 Johneuller) discovered 1992: Optometrics' CCD Spectrometer received: funding from KNAC and NSF - Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement grant to KNAC 1992: First Solaris telescope purchased 1993 August: 8-inch Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope received (later installed on pier in roll-off roof shed until summer 1999) 1993 November: Renovations of observatory first floor 1994 August: Gate House constructed on Lower Coop parking lot 1997 January: 10-inch Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope donation from David Wellenstein (later installed on pier in roll-off roof shed) 1998-2000: Replacement of Criterion 6-inch Newtonian telescopes with Meade 8-inch LX50 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes