Cherish history of observatory
Re: Let’s Open these Doors Again, Jan. 24.
It is interesting that Michael Wolfson proposes that the Dominion Observatory at the top of Carling Avenue hill be preserved, not only for its outside (already designated a heritage building) but also for what should be its insides.
I would have thought that the greater surveying community, to which I claim connection, would be on its soapbox to promote the historical value of what has transpired inside the building. The importance of astronomic observations to establish the longitude relative to Greenwich; the maintenance of accurate time prior to using a cesium beam frequency standard (often misnamed as a cesium clock); the provision of a daily time signal to CBC; the broadcasting of continuous time signals via shortwave station CHU; the study of the intensity of gravity throughout Canada, which requires having a base station with a known value; and the recording of seismic observations to help locate where earthquakes occurred; all this needs to be presented to the public and celebrated.
The fact that the Geodetic Survey of Canada was located next door also could be celebrated because it established precise geodetic positions (in latitude and longitude) of points on hilltops across Canada which required, sporadically, precise astronomic longitudes determined from these time signals and it established precise elevations of benchmarks across Canada. This needs to be celebrated, too.
Sir Sandford Fleming needs his due because he promoted, through skilful international negotiations, the establishment of time zones that the world’s population now takes for granted.
There is at the Science and Technology Museum and at Natural Resources Canada the sophisticated equipment that made these things possible in the era prior to GPS. Rather than seeing all this beautiful equipment go to the scrap-metal dealer, it would be better to put it on permanent display in a building appropriate for the contents: the Dominion Observatory.
I agree with Dr. Wolfson that proper designing of the new hospital is needed to allow the “hands-on” capability of using a telescope mounted in the Observatory’s dome to see the stars, planets and Moon.
David H. Gray, C.L.S. (Canada Lands Surveyor), Ottawa