National Observatory

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

THE, a Government institution, Division of the Navigation Bureau of the Navy Department, Washington, D. C. Here the posi tion of the sun, moon, planets, and stars is determined for "The American Ephemerics and Nautical Almanac," and standard time is issued by radio and telegraph at noon and 10 p. m. for navigation, and the general public. The institution also purchases, tests, and repairs instruments used in the navy, and conducts investigations of scientific and general interest. The observatory developed from the Chart and Instrument Depot of the Navy Department of 1838. Lieutenant Wilkes at his own expense built an observatory on Capitol Hill in this year, and the Secretary of the Navy directed the purchase of necessary instruments for observations in meteorology, and astronomy. The results accomplished at the observatory were published in 1846, the first American work of its kind. Congress authorized the erection of a National observatory in 1842, and under Lieutenant M. F. Maury a special study was made of ocean currents, and hydrography. Recording observations by electricity was begun in 1849. Professor Asaph Hall in 1877 discovered satellites of Mars through Alvan Clark's 26-inch lens telescope, the largest made up to that time. In 1893 the observatory was moved to Georgetown Heights. Since 1893 the observatory has co-operated with other nations in astronomical work. In 1913- 1914 the observatory, acting with the French, made the first direct determination of the difference of longitude between Washington and Europe by exchange of radio signs from Arlington and the Eiffel Tower station, Paris. The National Observatory has published 50 volumes descriptive of its work. NATIONAL PARKS AND RESER- VATIONS, certain public lands of the United States which have been reserved from settlement, and are retained and improved by the United States Government as National parks. Their location and area in 1920 were as follows: Area in National Parks in Order of Location Sq. Miles Creation Middle Arkansas...... Hot Springs, 11/2 1832 Yellowstone, Northwest. Wyoming..3,348 1872 Sequoia, Middle E. California.. 252 1890 Middle E. California.. 1,125 Yosemite, 1890 Middle E. California.. General Grant, 4 1890 West c'tr'l Wash'ton.. 324 Mount Rainier, 1899 Southwestern Oregon.. 249 Crater Lake, 1902 South Dakota Wind Cave, 17 1903 1½ South Oklahoma...... Platt, 1904 Sullys Hill, North Dakota 1% .. 1904 Mesa Verde, Southw'st'n Colorado... 77 1906 Northw'st'n Montana..1,534 Glacier, 1910 Rocky Mountain, N. middle Colorado... 398 1915 Hawaiian Islands...... 118 Hawaii, 1916 Lassen Volcanic, Northern California... 124 1916 Mount McKinley, South central Alaska.. 2,200 1917 Grand Canyon, North central Arizona.. 958 1919 Lafayette, Maine Coast 8 ......... 1919