Observatory

Observatory History

What is now known as the Maynard F. Jordan observatory was built in the year 1900 at the University of Maine, then simply the Maine State College. It was constructed on a slight elevation to the east of Coburn Hall; in the summer of 1933 it was moved from that spot to its present location, near the Memorial Union at the center of campus. The observatory was outfitted with a new eight inch refractor telescope, which was built specifically for the University by Alvan Clark and Sons of Cambridgeport, Mass. The observatory provided the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy with a facility that could be used for instruction in both descriptive and practical astronomy.

From 1925 to 1960, Maynard F. Jordan, professor of astronomy used the observatory as a center for his research and teaching. Upon professor Jordan's retirement, Professor Frank Harper of the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy, was named the observatory director. The next year, Professor Harper submitted requests for a larger telescope in the observatory, as well as general maintenance for the facility. Around this time the observatory was updated with a new clock drive, a device which corrects for the effect on the telescope of the Earth's rotation. Sadly, this clock drive was short lived, as a student accidentally stripped the gears, and the department was unable to repair it.

The original dome of the Observatory

Jim Mullaney and Warren Kutok repair the telescope

It was not until 1972 that funds were raised to completely overhaul the observatory. The dome, which had formerly been made of wood, was replaced by a lighter aluminum dome, and the telescope was rebuilt. This rebuilding was ineffectual, however, and it was later determined that the telescope was re-assembled incorrectly. In 1988 the University approved $7,500 from the student life fee to add a new clock drive and to correctly refurbish the telescope. Two professional telescope restorers from Photon Instrument Limited, Jim Mullaney and Warren Kutok, spent ten days at the observatory cleaning all the parts of the telescope and adding the new clock drive.

Since that overhaul, the Maynard F. Jordan Observatory, which was re-named after Professor Jordan in 1993, has been used by the department of Physics and Astronomy for research and class work. During the regular year, the observatory is periodically opened for public use. It is primarily run by student volunteers and members of the department of Physics and Astronomy. It remains the only public observatory in the state of Maine.

The Maynard F. Jordan Observatory, 1999

Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium, 5781 Wingate Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5781

Phone: (207) 581-1341