Posts Tagged ‘History’
From the Collection: Polsey Clock
This piece is a bit of a mystery. It comes down to us simply as the “Polsey Clock.” Our other clocks come from famous makers, but Polsey is virtually unknown.…
Read MoreOdds and Ends: Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Throughout its history, Dudley Observatory has had a weird sort of half-fame. Yes, it’s a modest observatory in smAlbany, but there have been a lot of eyes upon it. Particularly…
Read MoreFrom the Collection: Riefler Clock
While a telescope may be the most valuable piece of equipment found in an observatory, a close second is the clock. Through most of Dudley’s history, the type of astronomical…
Read MoreDr. James Armsby
In a previous post, I mentioned that Dudley had benefited from two institution builders, the first being Ormsby Macknight Mitchel. Mitchel was an energetic founder of observatories and lecturer on the…
Read MoreThe Poetry of Benjamin Gould
Observatory Lyrics Tom Tom the President Begged Grabbed the money and quickly spent But Jimmy was caught though he was bought And now Tommy’s going to get what he ought.…
Read MoreNo Longer in the Collection: Scheutz Difference Engine
Of all the instruments that Dudley has used throughout its century and a half of operation, the one that most stands out is the Scheutz Difference Engine. Although it is…
Read MoreA Scientific Puritan: Benjamin Apthorp Gould
Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel and James Armsby both deserve credit for inspiring and founding the Dudley Observatory. But when Mitchell was tied up working as an engineer, Armsby had to look elsewhere to find…
Read MoreAn Event of No Ordinary Interest
On August 28, 1856, at the end of a conference for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Albany, the visiting scientists met with many of New…
Read MoreThe Lazzaroni
Given that the Inauguration of the Dudley Observatory took place right after the AAAS convention, it’s not surprising that many of the attendees were scientists. However, some of the names…
Read MoreWhere Was Dudley?
I get this question a lot. Actually, I usually get “Where IS Dudley?”, which requires me to explain that we don’t have an observatory at the moment, but we’re working…
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