Beginning with the first humble shovelful of ceremonial groundbreaking earth at Simpson’s Grove on a warm June in 1888 to “first light” in July of 1894, the University of Denver’s historic Chamberlin Observatory continues to inspire astronomers, students, and the public with views of our universe.
Chamberlin Observatory was the late 19th-century vision of Herbert Howe, the first professor of astronomy at the University of Denver, Denver businessman Humphrey Chamberlin, and famed local architect Robert S. Roeschlaub. The Richardson Romanesque style observatory, inspired by the Goodsell Observatory at Minnesota’s Carleton College, today graces the grounds of Observatory Park in the picturesque University Park neighborhood. The observatory was built in an era of steam trains and horse-drawn wagons, crafted from red sandstone quarried from Lyons, Colorado, and wood from Oregon timber, and stands today as strongly as ever as a testament and symbol of scientific inquiry.
Beneath the distinctive and imposing silvery dome of galvanized iron, characteristic of what we consider to be the signature trait of an astronomical observatory, lies the heart of the observatory with the beautiful Clark-Saegmuller refractor, a 26-foot-long telescope made from steel, cast iron, and brass, which carefully holds within its grasp an exquisitely constructed Alvan Clark & Sons 20-inch doublet lens to view the heavens. The immense telescope assembly is precisely balanced upon a George Saegmuller German Equatorial mount with a backbone of stability achieved with an imposing 4 ½ ton cast iron pillar supported atop a 25-foot tall, 320-ton pillar of red sandstone blocks that extends into the basement of the observatory and beyond. Yet, microscope-comparable precision can be achieved as even a child can move the telescope with a simple touch.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and currently owned and maintained by the University of Denver, Chamberlin Observatory has been home to the Denver Astronomical Society since 1949. Today, Chamberlin Observatory serves as an educational facility for students and the public, inspiring the next generation of astronomers. Even though the Clark-Saegmuller telescope, once considered “big glass,” is diminutive compared to today’s massive research telescopes often perched high upon mountain tops and no longer enjoys the dark skies of a long-ago rural Denver, the meticulousness and workmanship of Alvan Clark and George Saegmuller continues to provide unparalleled views of the universe and has stood the test of time. Chamberlin Observatory represents an era of Victorian elegance and a time when aesthetic design was as important as functional requirements.
Join us during public open houses to enjoy this grand observatory and the comradery of fellow astrophiles. During open houses and clear nights, Denver Astronomical Society members can often be found on the south lawn of the observatory with their telescopes offering views of different celestial objects and answering questions for visitors. A jaunt inside the observatory will allow one to view the world above on an impressive instrument that belongs to a bygone era but still provides the ability to extend our vision to help us better understand the universe we live in.
Chamberlin Observatory is located at 2930 E Warren Avenue, Denver, CO.
