Imagine peering through a telescope atop Pupin Hall. That’s where the Rutherfurd Observatory at Columbia University resides. It’s not just a place for stargazing. It is a testament to New York City’s long love affair with astronomy.
Before skyscrapers dominated the skyline, the Lenape people looked to the stars. They understood the planets and Earth’s place in the universe. Their reverence for the Sun and Moon shaped their cosmology.
Fast forward to 1818. Benjamin and Samuel Demilt opened an observatory atop their jewelry store. It was a pioneering moment for astronomy in the city. In 1821, the city’s longitude was determined from Columbia College during a solar eclipse. The Demilt brothers assisted in this important observation.
Lewis Morris Rutherfurd, a name synonymous with astronomical innovation, built his own observatory in 1856. He later donated his groundbreaking photographs to Columbia University. This legacy led to the Rutherfurd Observatory. It found its home on Pupin Hall’s roof in 1927.
The Rutherfurd Observatory once housed a remarkable twelve-inch refractor telescope. This telescope was built for the Czarist government of Russia in 1916. World War I delayed its shipment. After the war, Lenin’s government refused to accept it. Columbia University acquired it in 1920. For years, it served students. In 1997, it was sold to the South Carolina State Museum.
In the 1970s, the “Columbia CO Survey” operated a 1.2-meter radio telescope. It mapped the sky in an important radio band. Rutherfurd Observatory has operated continuously since Pupin Hall was built.
However, progress casts shadows. The construction of the Northwest Corner Building in 2009 presented a challenge. It blocked part of the observatory’s view and created light interference. Despite this, the Rutherfurd Observatory remains a place of learning.
Today, the Rutherfurd Observatory has a Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. It has an 11-inch aperture. Also, it has a 14-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. The astronomy department offers free public lectures and stargazing every other Friday.
The Rutherfurd Observatory’s story is one of perseverance. It highlights the enduring human curiosity about the cosmos in New York City.