Timeline of the McMath-Hulbert Observatory

1922

Two businessmen, Francis C. McMath and his son Robert R. McMath had an interest in astronomy and acquired a 3" telescope. 

1925

Francis McMath, Henry S. Hulbert (a Judge from Wayne County, Michigan), and William Joseph Hussey (then director of the <a href="http://www.umich.edu/~lowbrows/history/detroit.html">Detroit Observatory</a>) arranged to fly a balloon to observe a solar eclipse in New York, but weather conditions prevented any observations. 

1926

A 4" refractor was constructed. It was driven with a spring clock. 

1927

Robert designed and built a dome in Clarkston, Michigan to house the 4" telescope built earlier. 

1928

A motor was installed to drive the 4" telescope. That summer, motion pictures were made of the moon with this new observatory. Then director of the University of Michigan Astronomy Department, Ralph H. Curtiss, saw these motion pictures and decided to collaborate with the two McMaths. The intent was to produce an instrument that would produce celestial motion pictures. Curtiss died before the project was finished. (Apparently the idea of celestial motion pictures originated at this time as the concept was described as "novel"). 

1929

Hulbert teamed up with the two McMath's. All three were made University of Michigan honorary curators of astronomical observation at the request of Dr. Curtiss. 

1930

McMath, McMath and Hulbert started operations at a new observatory at the McMath's home in Lake Angelus, Michigan. Tower One with a 16 foot dome was  located in Lake Angelus (near Pontiac Michigan), and housed a 10.5" equatorial telescope. On July 1, 1930 it began operations by taking movie pictures of the moon.

1931

Heber Doust Curtis accepted the position of University of Michigan's Director of Observatories. He suggested that the Lake Angelus, Michigan observatory be named the McMath-Hulbert Observatory in recognition of the three founders. The McMaths at that time deeded the observatory and equipment to the University of Michigan, but not the land.

1932

The original intent of the celestial motion pictures was educational, but it became clear that such pictures had scientific value as well. With that in mind a motion picture of the sun was produced. This required a new instrument called a spectroheliokinematograph. This instrument was attached to the end of the 10.5" refractor. Such pictures showed time-lapse movies of solar prominences. 

1933

An extensive project was undertaken to produce a telescope drive that would smoothly track. This eventually involved a partnership with the Detroit Edison company. Only late in the year was a completely satisfactory drive produced. Neil Cook McMath (Robert's brother) joined the effort. 

1934

By this time Curtis had shown the pictures taken at the McMath-Hulbert  Observatory to a large number of people including lay audiences and scientists. The scientific audience was impressed both with the novelty and with the insights gained from the movies. On June 19, a time-lapse movie was taken of the ejection of a solar prominence from a sunspot.

1935

Ground was broken at the Lake Angelus site on July 16th for Tower Two, which was to be used solely for solar observations.

1936

The 50 foot Tower Two was completed by July 1, but needed instrumentation installed before it was operational. The Mt. Wilson Observatory gave technical assistance and loaned some equipment (including a diffraction grating). Funding was provided by the University and the McGregor Fund. This tower had a spectrograph well that dropped 31 feet into the ground. With this tower it was possible to observe prominences in three dimensions and to observe the sun's light in both hydrogen and calcium. The focal length could be any of 50, 40, 20 or 6 feet. The Spectrograph had a focal length of either 15 or 30 feet. 

The work of the McMath-Hulbert Observatory gave proof that the light pressure theory of solar prominences (popular at the time) could not be true. 

1938

An auxiliary photoelectric guiding mechanism was constructed. Installation of the "Stone" radial velocity spectroheliograph in Tower Two became operational. Francis McMath died on February 13, 1938. A decision was made to replace the 10.5" telescope in Tower One with a 24" reflecting telescope.

1939

Construction of Tower Three and the McGregor Building began on September 1, and the MHO property was deeded to the University of Michigan. A technique for measuring motions of solar material along the line of sight was developed (previously only measurements of motions perpendicular to the line of sight could be made.  

1940

The McGregor Building (5600 sq ft) and the 70 foot Tower Three were dedicated on May 25, 1940, with the keynote speech given by Charles F. Kettering of General Motors. Robert McMath was awarded the Society of Motion Pictures Engineers Journal Award for his celestial time-lapse movie equipment.

The 24" Cassegrain (a reflector telescope) was installed in Tower One on June 30, but was not used until the following year. This telescope was designed so various instruments could be attached. In honor, it was named the F. C. McMath Memorial Telescope. This telescope was later moved (1958) to <a href="http://www.umich.edu/~lowbrows/history/peach-mountain.html">Peach Mountain</a> were it is now used by the University Lowbrow Astronomers. 

1941

The new 24" telescope in Tower One began operation filming planetary motion pictures for educational purposes, a unique development.

1942

With the onset of World War II, the MHO was tasked to assist in the development of a Navy Low-Altitude Angular Bombsight (Mark 23) for use in targeting submarines, for which the MHO was given the Naval Ordnance Development Award after the war ended.

1947

Use of a "Cashman" lead sulfide photoconductive cell allowed never before observed atomic solar lines. The solar spectrum was mapped from 8,000 to 25,000 angstroms in June.

1949

MHO installed an infrared spectrometer on the Snow telescope at Mount Wilson, and assisted in its operation.

1950-51

MHO measured solar flares and compared earth's methane atmosphere with measurements from Mount Wilson.

1952

Robert McMath served as president of the American Astronomical Society.

1953-55

A vacuum chamber was added to the light path of Tower Three which was completed with the first solar spectrographs photographed on November 9, 1954. This addition vastly improved the resolution of the measurements and was incorporated into successive future solar telescopes. This was one of the last big astronomical instruments to be built without government assistance. 

Robert McMath was asked by the National Science Foundation to head a panel determining the astronomical needs of the United States.

1956

McMath presented preliminary drawings of a solar telescope for Kitt Peak. McMath also influenced Congress to increase funding for a National Astronomical Observatory.

1957 

McMath was made president of AURA with the mission to construct the first national observatory

1958-1960

The 24" telescope was replaced by the SECASKI  Flare Patrol telescope for  the International Geophysical Year (IGY 1957-58) study of solar flares. The 24" telescope was moved from Lake Angelus to <a href="http://www.umich.edu/~lowbrows/history/peach-mountain.html">Peach Mountain.</a> 

1961

Robert McMath became chairman of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA, Inc.) (a corporation formed to manage and run a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded astronomy research organization). See <a href="http://www.umich.edu/~lowbrows/history/portage-lake.html">Portage Lake Observatory</a> for more information on AURA. 

1962

Robert McMath died on January 2, 1962

The McMath 1.5 m solar telescope at Kitt Peak, AZ was dedicated on November 2, 1962.

1963-79

Research and scientific advancement of solar phenomena studies continued at the MHO, with numerous published articles. 

Comparison between MHO solar flare records and Cornell University's radio interference records. showed a direct correlation.

1979

The University ends its support for the McMath-Hulbert Observatory, and turns it back to the heir of Robert McMath. It was then sold into private hands, with some stipulations on maintaining it as a memorial to the McMath and Hulbert contribution to science.

1980 to present

The McMath-Hulbert Observatory remains in private ownership.

From 1994 until May 2021, the McMath-Hulbert Astronomical Society (MHAS) ran programs and outreach at the MHO, but was locked out when the owner determined he needed to sell the facility.

The MHAS continues to pursue its mission to preserve the MHO for posterity.