Sherzer Hall

Sherzer Observatory

Organization	Eastern Michigan University
Location	Ypsilanti, Mi
Coordinates	42°15′50.01″N 83°37′28.56″W
Established	1878 (1878)
Website	www.physics.emich.edu/sherzer/
Telescopes
Unnamed Telescope 10-inch (250 mm) f/14 apochromatic refractor with 4-inch (100 mm) apochromatic refractor guide scope
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Sherzer Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Eastern Michigan University located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The observatory was established in 1878. The observatory was destroyed in 1893 and then relocated to it's current location 1903. The building and observatory was later named after William Sherzer. The architect who designed the building was E. W.. Arnold of Battle Creek.

History

Sherzer Observatory was established in 1878 with a gift from the citizens of Ypsilanti. The Observatory housed a four-inch (102 mm) , $600 Alvan Clark refractor. The original observatory was located on Pierce Hall was hit by a tornado and destroyed in 1893. It was then relocated to the roof of the new Natural Science Building in 1903. The building and observatory was later named after William Sherzer, a science professor at the school who conceived the design for the new building after seeing similar facilities on a visit to Germany.

In 1928, a 10-inch (250 mm) refractor telescope manufactured by telescope maker and amateur astronomer John Mellish was installed on a German equatorial mount built by physics professor Edwin Strong. The University Archives still has data produced by students using this telescope and the brass Negus transit telescope which shared the observatory with the refractor.

Sherzer Observatory in 2003

Sherzer Hall fire in 1989

In the 1970s and 1980s, members of the EMU student astronomy club made numerous updates and restorations to keep the aging observatory running. Then, in 1989, Sherzer Hall was gutted by fire. Almost half of the building was destroyed including the original observatory. Fortunately, the University decided to rebuild.

The new observatory opened in September 1991 with a 10-inch (250 mm) apochromatic refractor telescope and German equatorial mount centered under a 6-meter dome. A classroom/computer lab was finished in 1997, and additional 8-inch (200 mm) to 14-inch (360 mm) telescopes, CCD cameras, and other equipment added to the inventory for student use. A secondary observatory with an automated 8-inch (200 mm) SCT for CCD imaging was added to the rooftop level, becoming operational in 2008.

Architecture

Sherzer Hall is one of four buildings comprising the Eastern Michigan University Historic District. The architect of the building was E. W.. Arnold of Battle Creek. Sherzer Hall has a red-brick exteriors Sherzer's exterior has a few mildly Romanesque and Georgian elements. Due to it's unique style causes it to defies stylistic classification.

See also

• List of observatories

References

1. Norbert Vance. "Sherzer Observatory Homepage". EMU Sherzer Observatory. Retrieved December 14, 2005.