2019 Gumbo final - Book - Page 44
Lets Go Stargazing
Hidden at the top of nicholson
is an obervatory basically
untouched
Astronomy and astrophysics professor Geoffrey Clayton
takes care of the Landolt Astronomical Observatory on
Tower Drive on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018.
or something that has a storied past and a lot of sentimental
value, the Landolt Observatory is unknown to many University
students. Besides occasional class visits and monthly public
viewings, the observatory remains undisturbed.
At the top of Nicholson Hall, winding stairs lead up to the observatory. The
only signage is a piece of paper, written on with black Sharpie. Inside, the
walls are bright blue. The only desk is wooden, and looks like it’s been in
place for years, with a little stuffed spaceship toy on top of a map labeled
as a chart of the heavens. In the center of the rounded room, there’s a
mammoth refracting telescope.
The telescope has been there since the observatory was built in 1939.
It was made by Alvan Clark and Sons. Clark was considered to be the
world’s best refracting telescope maker, and the telescope is considered
an antique.
Geoffrey Clayton, professor in the LSU Department of Physics and
Astronomy and observatory caretaker, said the telescope was fun to work
with despite its age. Clayton said that operating it manually lead to a more
immersive experience.
“I think there’s a certain quaintness to it,” Clayton said. “We have to
actually pull it around and point it by hand. I can actually do that because
I’ve been looking at stars for a long time.”
But from the early 1990s to 2005, the telescope was unusable. After the
observatory maintainers moved away, the space was abandoned until a
group from the Physics and Astronomy Department cleaned and
refurbished everything.
“Before that, it was so bad that the telescope was actually resting on the
floor, not active,” Clayton said.
After this, the observatory was reopened and named after professor
emeritus of physics and astronomy Arlo Landolt to honor his work and
contributions to the field of astronomy. Despite being retired for the last 10
years, Landolt can still be found in Nicholson Hall every day.
In the observatory, monthly viewings are available to the public on Public
Night, which will be on Oct. 14. Clayton said he is excited for the next
viewing, as Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars, along with the moon, will all
be visible. Clayton said that these viewings are important, as most aren’t
really familiar with astronomy.
“Most people grow up now in a big city, and they don’t even know the
stars are there because nobody looks up,” Clayton said. “And if they do
look up, because of the city lights, it’s hard to see the stars. It’s good to
actually look in a telescope.”
Besides, its importance as a teaching tool, Clayton says the Landolt
Observatory should be valued for its history.
“In Louisiana of course, everything is about the history, and some of
it’s good and some of it’s bad,” Clayton said. “I think that it’s one of the
oldest things on campus, and it deserves to be preserved.”
Story • Rachel Mipro
Photo • Jaye Landry
Design •Chloe Bryars
Astronomy and astrophysics professor Geoffrey Clayton
takes care of the Landolt Astronomical Observatory on
Tower Drive on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018.
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