Editing Boyden Observatory

{{Short description|Astronomical observatory in Bloemfontein, South Africa}}
{{use South African English|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox observatory
|name            = Boyden Observatory
|background      =
|image           =
|caption         =
|organization    = [[University of the Free State]]
|code            = 074
|location        = [[Maselspoort]], South Africa
|coords          = {{Coord|29|02|19.79|S|26|24|17.0|E|type:landmark_region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
|altitude        = {{Convert|1372|m|ft}}
|weather         =
|established     = {{Start date|1889}}
|closed          =
|website         = {{URL|https://www.ufs.ac.za/natagri/departments-and-divisions/physics-home/boyden/boyden-observatory-home|Boyden Observatory}}
|telescope1_name = Boyden-UFS<br/>Telescope
|telescope1_type = 1.5 m reflector
|telescope2_name = Watcher Robotic<br/>Telescope
|telescope2_type = 0.4 m reflector
|telescope3_name =
|telescope3_type =
|telescope4_name =
|telescope4_type =
}}

'''Boyden Observatory''' is an [[astronomy|astronomical]] research [[observatory]] and science education centre located in [[Maselspoort]], {{Convert|20|km|mi}} north-east of the city of [[Bloemfontein]] in [[Free State (South African province)|Free State, South Africa]]. The observatory is managed by the Physics Department of the [[University of the Free State]] (UFS). The Friends of Boyden assist the observatory as a public support group, organising open evenings and protecting its public interest. Boyden also makes use of members of [[Astronomical Society of Southern Africa|ASSA]] Bloemfontein Centre, the [[amateur astronomy]] club of the city, for presenters and telescope assistants.

== History ==

The Boyden Station of [[Harvard College Observatory|Harvard Observatory]] was founded in 1889 by [[Harvard University]] at Mount Harvard near [[Lima]], Peru. It was relocated to [[Arequipa]], Peru in October 1890 ([[List of observatory codes|obs.
 code]]: [[IAU code#800|800]]).<ref name=2010BAIL /><ref name=BOYD-HIST /> It was named after [[Uriah A. Boyden]], who in 1879 left in his will $238,000 to Harvard Observatory to be used for astronomical purposes. Significant work done at Arequipa include the discovery of [[Phoebe (moon)|Phoebe]], an outer moon of [[Saturn]], by [[William Henry Pickering]] using photographic plates captured with the {{convert|24|in|cm|abbr=on}} Bruce Astrograph.<ref name=ASSA-BRUCE /><ref name=1917REPT />

In 1927, the observatory was moved to its present location in South Africa.<ref name=BOYD-HIST /> This was done because it was expected that Bloemfontein would be less cloudy than Arequipa, which after two years of recording proved to be true.<ref name=1929BAIL /> The site near the settlement of Mazelspoort was formally dedicated in 1933.<ref name=1934ANNC /> Its first and longtime director in South Africa was [[John S. Paraskevopoulos]], who held the post from 1927 to 1951.<ref name=1956HAFF /> Financial issues at Harvard almost led to the closure of Boyden in 1954, but several European countries became partners in funding and using the observatory. In 1975 Harvard, which had transferred the title to the [[Smithsonian Institution]], announced it would withdraw its support in the following year. UFS agreed to support the facility, and it was donated to UFS in 1976.<ref name=1976JARR />

== Telescopes ==
* The Boyden-UFS Telescope, which is also known as the Rockefeller Reflector, is a {{convert|60|in|cm|abbr=on}} [[Cassegrain telescope|Cassegrain reflector]].
* The Watcher Robotic Telescope is a {{convert|40|cm|in|abbr=on}} [[F-number|f/14.25]] [[robotic telescope]] developed by the [[University College Dublin]] and UFS.<ref name=UCD-DESC /> The primary function of the telescope is visual spectrum observation following [[Gamma-ray burst]]s.<ref name=UCD-GOAL /><ref name=2010FERR />
* The Nishimura Telescope is a {{convert|16|in|cm|abbr=on}} [[reflecting telescope|reflector]] commissioned by the [[Nagoya University]] and constructed by Nishimura Co. Ltd. in 2000.<ref name=NISH /> It was not in use as of 2009.<ref name=NISH2 />
* The Alvan Clark Telescope is a {{convert|13|in|cm|abbr=on}} [[refractor]] named after its maker, [[Alvan Clark]]. The telescope was first installed at [[Mount Wilson Observatory]] in 1889. It is used for outreach purposes.<ref name=CLARK />
* The {{convert|10|in|cm|abbr=on}} Metcalf Photographic Triplet Refractor is a display item.<ref name=MET />
* A {{convert|20|cm|in|abbr=on}} coelostat ([[solar telescope]]) is used for outreach purposes.<ref name=COEL />

=== Boyden-UFS Telescope history ===

[[Andrew Ainslie Common]] figured a mirror in 1885 (and another in 1890) for a {{convert|60|in|cm|abbr=on}} Newtonian reflecting telescope (later converted to a Cassegrain), but the telescope fell into disuse and was bought by the [[Harvard College Observatory]] from Common's estate. The primary mirror was re-figured in 1933, and along with a new mount it was installed at Boyden.<ref name=KING-HIST /><ref name=1996FOUC />

In the mid-1960s the Hamburg engineering firm of Heidenreich and Harbeck was contracted to build a new mirror cell for the telescope to reduce the problems experienced due to the thinness of the mirror and the fact its back surface was not flat.<ref name=1998ANDR /> Shortly afterward the old Common primary mirror was replaced by a new {{convert|60|in|cm|abbr=on}} mirror from Loomis made of low-expansion glass.<ref name=1996FOUC /><ref name=1998ANDR />

In 2001 the telescope received a major upgrade by [[DFM Engineering]]. This upgrade included a new control system, modifications to the mirror cell, and a new primary light shield.<ref name=DFM-UG /> From 2005 to 2009 it was part of the [[Probing Lensing Anomalies Network]].

=== Former telescopes ===
* The {{convert|0.9|m|in|abbr=on}} Armagh-Dunsink-Harvard Telescope was a [[Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope]] built in 1949 by [[Perkin-Elmer]]. Three organisations were involved: [[Armagh Observatory]], [[Dunsink Observatory]], and Harvard. It was installed at Bloemfontein in 1950. However, it never worked well, and after several attempts to fix it, the mirrors and lens were removed in 1981 and sent to Dunsink.<ref name=2007BUTL />
* The {{convert|0.6|m|in|abbr=on}} Bruce Astrograph was a [[refracting telescope]] built in 1893 by [[Alvan Clark & Sons]].<ref name=GENHISTV4 /> After being used for many years in Arequipa, it was brought to Bloemfontein and housed in a building with a roll-off roof. With plates taken by this telescope, [[Harlow Shapley]] discovered the [[Sculptor Galaxy|Sculptor]] and [[Fornax Dwarf|Fornax]] dwarf galaxies, the first of their kind.<ref name=Shapley1/><ref name=Shapley2/> In 1950, it was replaced by the Armagh-Dunsink-Harvard Telescope.<ref name=1971JARR />

== Research and discoveries ==
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size: 0.9em; width: 275px;"
! colspan=2 style="white-space: nowrap;" | [[Asteroid]]s discovered: 4&thinsp;<ref name="MPC-Discoverers" />
|-
| [[4301 Boyden]] || 7 August 1966
|-
| [[5298 Paraskevopoulos]] || 7 August 1966
|-
| [[11781 Alexroberts]] || 7 August 1966
|-
| [[14310 Shuttleworth]] || 7 August 1966
|}

Boyden Observatory performs professional [[astrophysics]] research using the 1.5 meter reflector. In addition to the research program, the [[observatory]] runs an active educational program for school children from all backgrounds as well as for members of the public, attracting thousands of visitors each year. In 1966, this observatory discovered four asteroids.<ref name="MPC-Discoverers" />

== Facilities ==

Facilities include the main building where the original offices were and where the library is, the resident astronomer's house, a state-of-the-art [[auditorium]] seating 100 people inside and 200 people on its roof for open-air sky shows, the main telescope buildings, smaller telescope buildings, a lecture room, store room, the [[Astronomical Society of Southern Africa|ASSA]] Bloemfontein clubhouse, observation platforms, and various vantage points.<ref name=BOYD-EXPL />

=== Proposed Extensions ===

The [[observatory]] is constantly experiencing growth in visitor numbers and the extension of its facilities. Medium term plans call for e.g. the establishment of an educational walking route for visitors to appreciate the diverse natural life in the area, a museum and science exhibition areas, upgrading of the educational telescope facilities etc. Long term plans include the construction of a digital [[planetarium]] and the completion of the fully-fledged Science Hall.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}} A digital [[planetarium]] is open in the nearby city of Bloemfontein on Naval Hill (South Africa's first digital planetarium), inside the original dome of the Lamont-Hussey observatory.

== See also ==
* [[Astronomical Society of Southern Africa]]
* [[List of astronomical observatories]]
* [[South African Astronomical Observatory]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=2010BAIL>{{cite journal |last=Baily |first=Solon |title=The Arequipa Station of the Harvard Observatory |journal=Popular Science Monthly |date=April 1904 |volume=64 |url=https://archive.org/stream/popularsciencemon64newy#page/513/mode/1up |accessdate=2 October 2010 |page=513}}</ref>

<ref name=1956HAFF>{{cite journal |bibcode=1956MNSSA..15...47H |bibcode-access=free |title=The Boyden Observatory |last1=Heffner |first1=H. |volume=15 |year=1956 |page=47 |journal=Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of South Africa}}</ref>

<ref name=1976JARR>{{cite journal |bibcode=1976MNSSA..35..112J |bibcode-access=free |title=Recent Developments in Astronomy at Bloemfontein |last1=Jarrett |first1=A. H. |volume=35 |year=1976 |page=112 |journal=Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of South Africa}}</ref>

<ref name=1934ANNC>{{cite journal |bibcode=1934PA.....42R.115. |bibcode-access=free |title=Boyden Observatory |volume=42 |year=1934 |page=115 |journal=Popular Astronomy}}</ref>

<ref name=1971JARR>{{cite journal |bibcode=1971IrAJ...10..129J |bibcode-access=free |title=Boyden Observatory |last1=Jarrett |first1=A. H. |volume=10 |year=1971 |page=129 |journal=Irish Astronomical Journal}}</ref>

<ref name=BOYD-HIST>{{cite web |last=Jarret |first=A.H. |title=Boyden Observatory (A Concise History) |url=http://www.uovs.ac.za/faculties/content.php?id=4364&FCode=04&DCode=113&DivCode=D015 |publisher=[[University of the Free State]] |accessdate=2 October 2010}}</ref>

<ref name=ASSA-BRUCE>{{cite web|title=Bruce Astrograph |url=http://assa.saao.ac.za/html/his-tel-bruce_astrograp.html |publisher=[[Astronomical Society of Southern Africa]] |accessdate=4 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718104802/http://assa.saao.ac.za/html/his-tel-bruce_astrograp.html |archivedate=18 July 2011  }}</ref>

<ref name=1917REPT>{{cite journal |title=Astronomy, Meteorology and Seismology |journal=Proceedings of the Second Pan American Scientific Congress |year=1917 |volume=2 |page=14 |url=https://archive.org/stream/proceedingsseco09swiggoog#page/n34/mode/1up |accessdate=4 October 2010}}</ref>

<ref name=1929BAIL>{{cite journal |bibcode=1929BHarO.866...13B |bibcode-access=free |title=Comparison of Cloudiness at Arequipa and Bloemfontein |last1=Bailey |first1=S. I. |volume=866 |year=1929 |page=13 |journal=Harvard College Observatory Bulletin}}</ref>

<ref name=UCD-DESC>{{cite web|title=Main components of Watcher |url=http://bermuda.ucd.ie/watcherdescription.html |publisher=University College Dublin |accessdate=4 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720140105/http://bermuda.ucd.ie/watcherdescription.html |archivedate=20 July 2011  }}</ref>

<ref name=UCD-GOAL>{{cite web|title=Science |url=http://bermuda.ucd.ie/Scientific%20Goals.html |publisher=[[University College Dublin]] |accessdate=4 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720140147/http://bermuda.ucd.ie/Scientific%20Goals.html |archivedate=20 July 2011  }}</ref>

<ref name=2010FERR>{{cite journal |last1=Ferrero |first1=A. |last2=Hanlon |first2=L. |last3=Felletti |first3=R. |last4=French |first4=J. |last5=Melady |first5=G. |last6=McBreen |first6=S. |last7=Kubánek |first7=P. |last8=Jelínek |first8=M. |last9=McBreen |first9=B. |last10=Meintjes |first10=P. |last11=Calitz |first11=J. |last12=Hoffman |first12=M. |title=The Photometry Pipeline of the Watcher Robotic Telescope |journal=Advances in Astronomy |volume=2010 |pages=1–5 |year=2010 |doi=10.1155/2010/715237 |doi-access=free |bibcode = 2010AdAst2010E..36F |hdl=10261/167294 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name=NISH>{{cite web|title=History of Nishimura |url=http://www.nishimura-opt.co.jp/english/3contents/index.html |publisher=Nishimura Co. Ltd. |accessdate=3 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722094259/http://www.nishimura-opt.co.jp/english/3contents/index.html |archivedate=22 July 2011  }}</ref>

<ref name=NISH2>{{cite web |title=16-inch Nishimura reflector – Boyden Observatory |url=http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore_16inchnishimura.htm |publisher=Friends of Boyden |date=28 September 2009 |accessdate=19 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175419/http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore_16inchnishimura.htm |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name=CLARK>{{cite web |title=13-inch Alvin Clark refractor – Boyden Observatory |url=http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore_13inch.htm |publisher=Friends of Boyden |accessdate=19 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175419/http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore_13inch.htm |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name=MET>{{cite web |title=10-inch Metcalf – Boyden Observatory |url=http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore_10inch.htm |publisher=Friends of Boyden |accessdate=19 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175418/http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore_10inch.htm |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name=COEL>{{cite web |title=Solar Telescope – Boyden Observatory |url=http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore_solartelescope.htm |publisher=Friends of Boyden |accessdate=19 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175420/http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore_solartelescope.htm |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name=2007BUTL>{{cite journal |bibcode=2007JAHH...10..173B |bibcode-access=free |title=The Armagh-Dunsink-Harvard Telescope: From dream to oblivion |last1=Butler |first1=C. John |volume=10 |issue=3 |year=2007 |page=173 |journal=Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage|url=https://zenodo.org/record/898214 }}</ref>

<ref name=1996FOUC>{{cite journal |bibcode=1996MNSSA..55..167F |bibcode-access=free |title=An Assessment of the 1,5-m Rockefeller Telescope at Boyden Observatory |last1=Fouché |first1=M. |last2=Kilkenny |first2=D. |last3=Koorts |first3=W. |last4=Martinez |first4=P. |volume=55 |year=1996 |page=167 |journal=Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of South Africa}}</ref>

<ref name=KING-HIST>{{cite book |last=King |first=Henry |title=The History of the Telescope |year=2003 |publisher=Dover Publications |isbn=0-486-43265-3 |page=295}}</ref>

<ref name=GENHISTV4>{{cite book |last=Gingerich |first=Owen |title=The General History of Astronomy: Volume 4, Astrophysics and Twentieth-Century Astronomy to 1950: Part 1 |year=1984 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=53}}</ref>

<ref name=1998ANDR>{{cite journal |last=Andrews |first=A.D. |title=The Boyden Observatory |journal=Irish Astronomical Journal |year=1998 |volume=25 |issue=2 |bibcode=1998IrAJ...25..129A |bibcode-access=free |page=129}}</ref>

<ref name=DFM-UG>{{cite web|title=The Boyden 1.52M Rockefeller Telescope Upgrade |url=http://www.dfmengineering.com/news_boyden_obsrv.html |publisher=[[DFM Engineering]] |accessdate=3 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710122831/http://www.dfmengineering.com/news_boyden_obsrv.html |archivedate=10 July 2011  }}</ref>

<ref name=BOYD-EXPL>{{cite web |title=Explore Boyden Observatory – Friends of Boyden |url=http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore.htm |publisher=Friends of Boyden |accessdate=5 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304025722/http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-Discoverers">{{cite web
 |title=Minor Planet Discoverers (by number) 
 |work=Minor Planet Center 
 |url=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/MPDiscsNum.html
 |date=28 December 2015 
 |accessdate=18 January 2017}}</ref>

<ref name=Shapley1>{{cite journal |last=Shapley |first=H. |year=1938 |bibcode=1938BHarO.908....1S |bibcode-access=free |journal=Harvard College Observatory Bulletin |volume=908|pages=1 |title=A Stellar System of a New Type }}</ref>

<ref name=Shapley2>{{cite journal | last= Shapley |first=H. | year = 1938 | title = Two Stellar Systems of a New Kind | journal = Nature | volume = 142 | issue = 3598| pages = 715–6 | bibcode = 1938Natur.142..715S | doi=10.1038/142715b0|s2cid=4071472 }}</ref>
}} <!-- end of reflist -->

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Observatories in South Africa}}
* [http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/index.htm Friends of Boyden]
* [http://www.uovs.ac.za University of the Free State]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110720140046/http://bermuda.ucd.ie/watcherhome.html Watcher telescope homepage]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1889 establishments in Orange Free State]]
[[Category:Minor-planet discovering observatories]]
[[Category:Astronomical observatories in South Africa]]
[[Category:Harvard University]]
[[Category:Mangaung]]
[[Category:History of Lima]]
[[Category:Arequipa]]