Harvard College Observatory History in Images

This is a personal project collecting and documenting early images of Harvard College Observatory, focusing on the site at Observatory Hill (previously Summer House Hill). Buildings, instruments, people, and observations.

Disclaimer: all content here is solely my own views, and in no way represents the views of my employer, or anyone else. Also, I'm documenting things as I learn about them, so expect frequent errors. Corrections will occur without notice and without a changelog at this point.

	[link]1892 Brick Building Construction Earliest source: "[Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, construction, ca. 1892]." Harvard University Archives / UAV 630.271 (295). Harvard Libraries, ^{olvwork431947} [Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, construction, ca. 1892] 1892 Creator: Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge
	[link]1892 Brick Building Construction Earliest source: "[Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, construction, ca. 1892]." Harvard University Archives / UAV 630.271 (294). Harvard Libraries, ^{olvwork431946} [Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, construction, ca. 1892] 1892 Creator: Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge
	[link]1892 Brick Building Construction Earliest source: "[Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, construction, ca. 1892]." Harvard University Archives / UAV 630.271 (296). Harvard Libraries, ^{olvwork431948} [Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, construction, ca. 1892] 1892 Creator: Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge
	[link]1892 Brick Building Construction Earliest source: "[Harvard College Observatory building under contruction] 1892." Harvard University Archives / UAV 630.271 (149). Harvard Libraries, ^{olvwork431801} [Harvard College Observatory building under contruction] 1892 1892 Creator: Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge
	[link]1893/05+ Astro Photographic Museum Earliest source: "Astro Photographic Museum. Harvard College Observatory [(i.e. C building)] ." Harvard University Archives / UAV 630.271 (E2547). Harvard Libraries, ^{olvwork432403} Astro Photographic Museum, aka Brick Building, aka Building C (in later years). This building was completed in 1892. The look of fresh landscaping makes me think this could be early 1893 (but after the transfer of plates in the snowy photo). It has to be after the plate transfer, which shows no railing around the top, while this image has the railing (but no later than 1902 when the addition was built). This photo looks more professional than many. It was taken from a perfect height to render all the vertical lines perfectly parallel, and the image is so clean that at small scale it looks like an artists' concept drawing. ca. 1890-ca. 1920 Creator: Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge
	[link]Astrophotography Museum "The Harvard Astrophotographic Museum". Also known to me as my office building. The building was expanded in 1902, as documented in photos that will be added below. This photo is part of that series, and appears to be a different print of the first image of the series used to make the animation below. The building was mostly completed in 1892.^annual1892 ^{crimson18921019(missing)} It was completed in 1893 and the plates were transferred.^annual1893 Apparently this plate transfer involved loading the plates (which are heavy, fragile glass) into crates, 100 plates at a time, and letting them run downhill on a rope and pulley system from a window in the west wing of the old observatory and safely into the new building.^annual1893
	[link]1918 Women Computers Earliest source: "[Observatory Staff in "paper doll" pose, (in line holding hands) panoramic photograph ca. 1918]." Harvard University Archives / UAV 630.271 (391). Harvard Libraries, ^{olvwork432043} From left to right (primary identifications come from Harvard, who says the names were listed on the back): Ida Woods Eva Leland Florence Cushman Grace Brooks [Hannah?]; other sources say Mary Van or Mary H. Vann^sipickwomen ^{neafspectrohist} Henrietta Leavitt Mollie O'Reilly Mabel Gill (or "Edith F. Gill"^sipickwomen) Alta Carpenter A.J.C [Annie Jump Cannon] Harvard missed this one; other sources say Dorothy Black or Block^sipickwomen ^{neafspectrohist} Arville Walker Mr. Hinckley Prof. King. I believe the correct names for two of these are "Mary H. Vann" and "Dorothy Block".^{jaavsoharwood} Also, I think this is Mabel, not Edith Gill (or the few other labelled photos I've seen so far similarly mislabel the presumed sisters). For the longest time I didn't know where pictures like this one were taken. This is an addition to the director's residence added in about 1893 that maybe doubled the size of the residence. The building is not curved, and the brick building to the right is the end of the astrophotographic addition, lying in the same plane. The wide angle just makes it look like a 90 degree bend.