Editing Perkins Observatory (section)

==OSU era==

Early on it became apparent that the [[Ohio Wesleyan University]] simply did not have the staff or expertise necessary to operate one of the world's most important observatories. In 1935 a cooperative agreement was reached with the [[Ohio State University]] in [[Columbus, Ohio]] to staff and operate Perkins Observatory. For the next 63 years, for most practical purposes, the observatory belonged to OSU.

The following three decades were Golden Years for Perkins Observatory. The remote skies were dark (if somewhat cloudy). Famous astronomers from around the world traveled to central Ohio to use the large telescope. Important meetings of professional and amateur astronomers were hosted on site. The library collection grew to include many rare volumes.

Astronomer [[Philip Childs Keenan|Philip C. Keenan]] spent most of his professional life as an astronomer working at Perkins Observatory. (He was employed by the [[Ohio State University]], not [[Ohio Wesleyan]].) Using the {{convert|69|in|m|adj=on}} telescope he spent almost 20 years taking spectrographic plates of vast areas of the night sky. In collaboration with [[William Wilson Morgan]] of [[Yerkes Observatory]], Dr. Keenan helped to create the M-K System of [[Stellar Classification]]. (“M” is for Morgan and “K” is for Keenan.) This is the most common [[stellar classification]] system used by astronomers today.

In 1932 the Acting Director of the Observatory Nikolai T. Bobrovnikov began publication of a small in-house magazine known as “The Telescope.” At first this quarterly dealt primarily with research and current events related to Perkins Observatory, but in following issues it expanded its coverage of topics somewhat. In 1941 it merged with another small astronomy magazine known as “The Sky” to create “[[Sky & Telescope]] Magazine.”

Another stipulation in Hiram Perkins’ endowment was that observing sessions be open to the public at least once a month.

The radio telescope known as [[Big Ear]] was built on Perkins Observatory property and operated from 1963 to 1998. It was famous in part for its work on [[SETI]] and the [[WOW! Signal]] detected in 1977. This instrument was built and operated by the [[Ohio State University]].

OSU had been given a 12.5 inch aperture refractor and observatory in 1895, the [[McMillin Observatory]], however they gave the telescope away in the 1960s and razed the old observatory in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://library.osu.edu/buckeye-stroll/locations/mcmillin-observatory|title=McMillin Observatory {{!}} Buckeye Stroll|website=library.osu.edu|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref>