Princeton and the telescope

Professor Stephen Alexander observes solar eclipses with Munich-made telescope, second-largest in United States.

Professor Charles Young teaches with telescope (right, refurbished and now hanging in Peyton Hall) in Observatory of Instruction (on site of today’s Robertson Hall).

Halsted Observatory (on site of today’s Joline Hall) has largest ­telescope in the hemisphere, except for U.S. Naval Observatory. Cast in Paris, the lenses were exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia.

Halsted Observatory demolished, replaced by FitzRandolph Observatory near Palmer Stadium; telescope rebuilt using the 1882 lenses.

Professors Lyman Spitzer *38 and Martin Schwarzschild make regular trips to use this huge California ­telescope.

Professor Martin Schwarzschild’s ­telescope floats beneath giant NASA ­balloon; Perkin-Elmer quartz mirror can distinguish one toadstool from two at 1,000 miles.  Model is on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Professor Lyman Spitzer *38 and his Princeton team design ultraviolet telescope on NASA satellite, a ­precursor to Hubble. Physics professor David Wilkinson plays key role in NASA satellite that maps microwave radiation from the Big Bang. Multibillion-dollar NASA project fulfills Lyman Spitzer’s 1946 vision of “extra-terrestrial ­observatories.”

Professor James Gunn designs a telescope at Apache Point in New Mexico that creates the most elaborate map in history.

Professors David Spergel ’82, left, and Lyman Page create NASA satellite that follows up on COBE. It maps microwave background fully and revolutionizes cosmology. Princeton begins 10-year partnership with National Astronomical Observatory of Japan to use one of the world’s largest telescopes, at the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii.