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Swarthmore College Astronomy Department photographs
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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Swarthmore College offered its first elective course in Astronomy in the mid 1870's. In 1885, the Board reported a proposal to erect an observatory near the east end of the College property. After Professor Susan Cunningham retired in 1906, Dr. John A. Miller was appointed as Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy. Until 1952, courses were listed under the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy; a separate Department of Astronomy existed until it became the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the mid 1980's.
This collection, dating from 1905 to 1975, consists of astronomy images taken or collected by Swarthmore College Astronomy Department students and professors. Most of the images are on glassplates, but there are also some paper photographs. Images depict the college, eclipses, constellations, comets, and more.
The collection is organized by format and size. There is some topical order within format but the arrangement is not comprehensive.
See Swarthmore College Astronomy Department records, SFHL-RG6-J01.
People
Organization
Subject
- Publisher
- Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
- Finding Aid Author
- Jissel Becerra Reyes
- Finding Aid Date
- 3/21/18
- Access Restrictions
-
This collection is available for research use.
- Use Restrictions
-
Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library. All requests for permission to reproduce images must be submitted to the Curator. Permission for publication is given on behalf Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader."
Collection Inventory
Philadelphia.
Box A-1
Grand Canyon.
Box A-1
Sproul Observatory.
Box A-1
Miscellaneous.
Box A-1
Sumatra eclipse expedition, 1926.
Box A-2
Sumatra eclipse expedition (scenery, etc.), 1926.
Box A-3
Sumatra eclipse expedition (scenery, etc.), 1926.
Box A-4
Sumatra eclipse expedition, 1926.
Box A-5
Sumatra eclipse expedition, 1926.
Box A-6
Scenery from Spain.
Box A-6
Syracuse, Kansas eclipse expedition, 1918.
Box A-7
Sumatra eclipse expedition, 1929.
Box A-8
Coronas, 1905-1918.
Box A-9
New Haven eclipse expedition, 1925.
Box A-9
Mexico eclipse expedition, 1923.
Box A-9
New Zealand eclipse expedition, 1930.
Box A-9
New Zealand eclipse expedition, 1930.
Box A-10
Unidentified expedition slides.
Box A-11
Mixed, 1929.
Box B-1
Old marked "G" (for "good"?).
Box B-1
Comet Morehouse, 1908.
Box B-1
Comet Peltier, 1936.
Box B-2
Comet Finster, 1937.
Box B-2
Pictures for book.
Box B-2
Mars.
Box B-2
Corona, 1918.
Box B-2
Corona, 1918.
Box B-3
Cygni, 1925.
Box B-3
Jupiter, 1929.
Box B-3
Pleiades, 1925.
Box B-3
Hercules, 1925.
Box B-3
Mixed Sumatra, 1926.
Box B-4
Unidentified.
Box B-4
Sproul Observatory (loose) .
Box B-5
Old observatory, rear.
Box B-5
Old observatory, rear (Cunningham, Hse, Scott Arboretum) - loose.
Box B-5
1. Group of Players (Plate 1), 1911.
Box B-5
2. Sommerville Hall (Plate 2), 1911.
Box B-5
3. Boy's Gym (Plate 3), 1911.
Box B-5
4. Campus from the top of Parrish (Plate 4), 1911.
Box B-5
5. Campus from the top of Parrish (Plate 5), 1911.
Box B-5
6. Campus from the top of Parrish (Plate 6), 1911.
Box B-5
7. Parrish Hall from lower end of campus (Plate 7) , 1911.
Box B-5
8. Sproul Observatory from top of Parrish (Plate 8), 1911.
Box B-5
Water Tank (Plate 9), 1911.
Box B-5
Water Tank (Plate 10), 1947.
Box B-5
Beardsley Hall (shops) (Plate 11), 1911.
Box B-5
Beardsley Hall (shops) (Plate 12), 1947.
Box B-5
Boy's Gym (Plate 13), 1911.
Box B-5
Boy's Gym (Plate 14), 1947.
Box B-5
Sommerville Hall (science) (Plate 15), 1911.
Box B-5
Sommerville Hall (science) (Plate 16), 1947.
Box B-5
20. Sommerville Hall (comparison with Plate #2) - Plate 17 , 1947.
Box B-5
Parrish Hall (Plate 18), 1911.
Box B-5
Parrish Hall (Plate 19), 1911.
Box B-5
Parrish Hall (Plate 20), 1947.
Box B-5
Friends Meetinghouse (Plate 21), 1911.
Box B-5
Friends Meetinghouse (Plate 22), 1947.
Box B-5
Chemistry building (Plate 23), 1911.
Box B-5
Chemistry building (Plate 24), 1947.
Box B-5
Student Observatory (Plate 25), 1911.
Box B-5
Student Observatory (Plate 26), 1947.
Box B-5
Library (Plate 27), 1911.
Box B-5
Library (Plate 28), 1947.
Box B-5
32. Sproul Observatory with dome yet unfinished (Plate 29), 1911 (?).
Box B-5
33. Sproul Observatory with dome yet unfinished (Plate 30), 1911 (?).
Box B-5
34. Sproul Observatory front view (Plate 31), 1911 (?).
Box B-5
35. Sproul Observatory just after completion (Plate 32), 1911 (?).
Box B-5
Sproul Observatory with 2 people in foreground (Plate 33), 1912.
Box B-5
Sproul Observatory with 2 people in foreground (Plate 34), 1912.
Box B-5
Sproul Observatory with group of people in foreground (Plate 35), 1912.
Box B-5
Sproul Observatory with group of people in foreground (Plate 36), 1912.
Box B-5
34. Sproul Observatory, front (Plate 37), August 1947.
Box B-6
35. Sproul Observatory, front (Plate 38), 1947.
Box B-6
36. Sproul Observatory, back - best view (Plate 39), 1947.
Box B-6
37. Observatory from campus - poor (Plate 40), 1947.
Box B-6
38. Observatory from Clothier tower - slit right (Plate 41), 1947.
Box B-6
39. Observatory from Strauss's in foreground (Plate 42), 1947.
Box B-6
40. Observatory from Strauss's - slit in center (Plate 43), 1947.
Box B-6
41. Open, telescope left (Plate 44), 1947.
Box B-6
42. Open telescope left (Plate 45), 1947.
Box B-6
43. Open telescope center (Plate 46), 1947.
Box B-6
44. Open, telescope slit left, Strauss's in foreground (Plate 47), 1947.
Box B-6
45. Slit left, Strauss's in foreground (Plate 48), 1947.
Box B-6
46. Rear (Plate 49), 1947.
Box B-6
47. Rear (Plate 50), 1947.
Box B-6
48. Rear telephoto, same as 50 (Plate 51), 1947.
Box B-6
49. Rear (Plate 52), 1947.
Box B-6
53. Rear telephoto, same as 52 (Plate 53), 1947.
Box B-6
51. Rear, front - best of front (Plate 54), 1947.
Box B-6
52. Rear from campus - good (Plate 55), 1947.
Box B-6
53. Rear from campus - telephoto same as 55, dense negative (Plate 56), 1947.
Box B-6
Calculating room (DH, SL, LS) (Plate 57), 1947.
Box B-6
Calculating room (DH, SL, LS) (Plate 58), 1947.
Box B-6
Measuring room (DH and SL) (Plate 59), 1947.
Box B-6
Measuring room (DH and WS) (Plate 60), 1947.
Box B-6
Library (west) (Plate 61), 1947.
Box B-6
Library (east) (Plate 62), 1947.
Box B-6
Library (east) (Plate 63), 1947.
Box B-6
Director's office (PvdK) (Plate 64), 1947.
Box B-6
Director's office (WS) (Plate 65), 1947.
Box B-6
Library (DH, LS, WS?, JP) (Plate 66), 1947.
Box B-6
Library (DH, LS, WS?, JP) (Plate 67), 1947.
Box B-6
Observatory dome - 25" refractor in use (RD; 69 is close-up) (Plate 68), 1947.
Box B-6
Observatory dome - 25" refractor in use (RD; 69 is close-up) (Plate 69), 1947.
Box B-6
67. Sproul Observatory - 26" refractor (Plate 70), 1947.
Box B-6
68. Copy of photo of paintig of W.C. Sproul (Plate 71), 1947.
Box B-6
69. Copy of engraving, Susan Cunnhingham (Plate 72), 1947.
Box B-6
70. Plaque on Sproul Observatory (Plate 73), 1947.
Box B-6
Partial Lunar Eclipse, 1937.
Box C-1
Finsler comet, 1937.
Box C-1
A-606, 1936.
Box C-1
Spectra and Constellations, 1922.
Box C-1
P2 1900, 1925.
Box C-1
Planets & Stars.
Box C-1
Halley's Comet, 1910.
Box C-1
Astronomy, 1908.
Box C-2
Comet Morehouse, 1908.
Box C-2
9" telescope, 1908.
Box C-2
Misc. as labeled, 1915-1918.
Box C-3
Misc. as labeled , 1915-1918.
Box C-4
Planets, Pleaides, etc. , 1915-1918.
Box C-5
Eclipse, Brandon Col., 1918-06-18.
Box C-6
Eclipse and telescope, 1923.
Box C-6
Corona, 1923.
Box C-6
Corona.
Box C-7
Eclipse expedition (tropical -- ship, staff, tent city).
Box C-7
Student (?) observations from Sproul, 1925-1937.
Box C-8
Student (?) observations from Sproul, 1948.
Box C-9
Moon plates, 1948.
Box C-9
Student (?) observations from Sproul, 1960.
Box C-10
Miss Cunningham.
Box D-1
Cluster of Perseus.
Box D-1
Andromeda Nebula, 1912-1928.
Box D-1
Orion Nebula, 1912.
Box D-1
Cygnus, 1922.
Box D-1
Other Nebulae.
Box D-2
Solar prominences, 1908.
Box D-2
Moon, 1910.
Box D-2
Moon craters.
Box D-2
Eclipse, 1920.
Box D-2
Northern Cross, 1924.
Box D-3
Lunar Eclipse, 1929.
Box D-3
Taurus, 1912.
Box D-3
Corona streamers, 1912.
Box D-3
Sword of Orion, 1929.
Box D-3
Finsler comet, 1937.
Box D-3
Pisces, 1937.
Box D-4
Lyra, 1940.
Box D-4
Perseus, 1939.
Box D-4
Pegasus, 1939.
Box D-4
Gemini, 1941.
Box D-4
Hercules, 1939.
Box D-4
Lepus, 1940.
Box D-4
Leonis.
Box D-4
Brooks comet, 1911.
Box D-5
Halley's comet, 1910.
Box D-5
Comets, 1919.
Box D-5
Solar eclipse, 1918.
Box D-5
Spectrum of Albaron.
Box D-5
Morehouse comet, 1908.
Box D-6
Cardboard records, 1918-1931.
Box D-6
Stars.
Box D-6
Observatory plates.
Box D-6
Eclipse in Peru, 1937.
Box D-6
1. Star model, (?).
Box E-1
2. Found loose among glass plates, 1919-1923.
Box E-1
3. Meetings and Conferences, 1948-1975.
Box E-1
4. Krueger 60, 1939-1965.
Box E-1
5. Eclipse, 1923.
Box E-1
6. Barnard's star photos and correspondence, 1938-1974.
Box E-1
7. Astronomers, 1940s.
Box E-1
1. Sumatra small, medium, large photographs, 1927.
Box E-2
2. Sumatra oversize photographs, 1926.
Box E-2
3. Pictures of Sumatra eclipse, 1926.
Box E-2
1. Telescope, 1974.
Box E-3
2. Sirius photographs and pamphlets, 1961/1964.
Box E-3
3. Vandekamp and others, 1958-1974.
Box E-3
4. S.L. Lippincott, 1952-1974.
Box E-3
5. Ross 614 AB, 1955-1956.
Box E-3
6. Telescope renovation, 1966.
Box E-3
7. Old observatory interiors, various exteriors, (?).
Box E-3
1. 11x14 photograph of Sumatra eclipse, 1926.
Box F-1
2. Cardboard-mounted photos of New Haven expedition, 1925.
Box F-1
3. Mounted photo of Sproul Observatory with enclosed poster for Sigma Xi talk, 1958.
Box F-1