Dyer Observatory

Dyer Observatory logo
Alternative names	Arthur J. Dyer Observatory
Organization	Vanderbilt University
Observatory code	759
Location	Nashville, Tennessee
Coordinates	36°03′08″N86°48′18″W / 36.05222°N 86.80500°W /36.05222; -86.80500
Altitude	345 metres (1,132 ft)
Established	1953
Website	Dyer Observatory
Telescopes
Seyfert 24-inchreflector Arthur J. Dyer Observatory U.S. National Register of Historic Places Location 1000 Oman Dr.,Nashville, Tennessee Coordinates 36°03′08″N86°48′18″W / 36.05222°N 86.80500°W /36.05222; -86.80500 Area 9 acres (36,000 m2)[2] Built 1953 NRHP reference No. 09000114[1] Added to NRHP March 6, 2009[1]
Location of Dyer Observatory
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TheDyer Observatory, also known as theArthur J. Dyer Observatory, is anastronomicalobservatory owned and operated byVanderbilt University. Built in 1953, it is located inNashville,Tennessee, and is the only university facility not located on the main campus inNashville. The observatory is named after Arthur J. Dyer, who paid for the observatory's 24-foot (7.3 m)-wide dome, and houses a 24-inch (610 mm)reflecting telescope named for astronomerCarl Seyfert. Today, the observatory primarily serves as a teaching tool; its mission is to interest the public in the fields of astronomy,science andengineering.^[3] The observatory was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places on March 6, 2009.^[2][1]

Vanderbilt's first observatory was housed on the campus itself. It was equipped with a 6-inch (150 mm)refracting telescope and was the site ofE. E. Barnard's earliest astronomical work. Barnard would eventually discover 16 comets and the fifth moon ofJupiter, receive the onlyhonorary degree Vanderbilt has ever awarded, and have the on-campus observatory named in his honor.^[4] However, that on-campus observatory would eventually prove insufficient for the university's needs.^[5]

When Seyfert joined the university's faculty in 1946, he lobbied for increasing the astronomy department's modest course offerings and for a new observatory.^[5] He solicited donations from over 80Nashville businesses to outfit the new observatory and convinced Dyer, owner of Nashville Bridge Company, to donate the funds for and to install the observatory's dome. When the observatory opened in December 1953, Seyfert was named its director, and, after his death, the 24-inch (610 mm) telescope was named in his honor.^[6]

The dome was originally painted aluminium, but this caused problems with observations before midnight while the telescope dome cooled. It was subsequently painted white in 1963, which significantly reduced the temperature of the dome and improved observations.^[7]

• List of astronomical observatories

• Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory homepage
• Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory Clear Sky Clock Forecasts of observing conditions.

• Vanderbilt University
• Astronomical observatories in Tennessee
• University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee
• Buildings and structures in Williamson County, Tennessee
• National Register of Historic Places in Williamson County, Tennessee

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