Fernley Observatory

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fernley Observatory
Southport Observatory - geograph.org.uk - 829776.jpg

Fernley Observatory (2007)
founding 1877
Type People's Observatory
height 3.7  m ASL
Coordinates 53 ° 39 '25.2 "  N , 2 ° 59' 13.2"  W Coordinates: 53 ° 39 '25.2 "  N , 2 ° 59' 13.2"  W.
place Southport , Merseyside , England
operator Fernley Observatory Heritage Group
Website www.fernleyobservatory.org

The Fernley Observatory , which used to be the name of Fernley Meteorological Observatory and Southport Auxiliary Observatory known, an observatory in Hesketh Park of the city of Southport . During the 140 years of its existence, the Fernley Observatory functioned temporarily as an astronomical observatory , but for the longest time as a meteorological observation station and is now a public observatory . Since July 2, 1997, it has been listed as a Grade II listed building on the National Heritage List for England (No. 1379586).

description

The Fernley Observatory is a two story building. The ground floor consists of red bricks built in a stretcher bond . At the front a pair of doors with round arches and skylights, accessible via two steps. A barred window on the left and right side. At the back there is a staircase that can be used to reach the first floor. The first floor consists of rectangular and square panels in a timber frame construction. Two glass pane windows on the front. The dome is above it on the left side of the building.

Inside is the intact refractor . Around the dome the inscription “ Psalm XIX-I THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD; AND THE FIRMAMENT SHEWETH HIS HANDYWORK ”(German:“ Psalm XIX-I The heavens praise the glory of God, the firmament heralds the work of his hands ”). Under the inscription a frieze with fielded oblong panels. Ribs in the dome. Two panels can be opened in the dome. The dome is on rollers and thus enables an all-round view.

history

The Fernley Observatory goes back to the 1871 built meteorological observation facility in Hesketh Park, which was laid out in 1868. The first meteorological measuring instruments were donated by John Fernley (1796–1874) and Joseph Baxendell , a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society since 1858 , appointed first superintendent of the Fernley Observatory and Borough meteorologist.

In 1877 Thomas Sebastian Bazley, 2nd Baronet of Hatherop Baxendell donated his 6 ” refractor made by T. Cooke & Sons in 1869 and the wooden dome that went with it. The refractor and dome were transported from Gloucestershire to Baxendell's garden at 14 Liverpool Road, Birkdale , and Baxendell named his house "The Observatory". After his father's death, his then 18-year-old son of the same name, Joseph Baxendell (1869–1940), was appointed second superintendent and borough meteorologist. In contrast to his father, he was less interested in astronomy than in meteorology; later he became a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society .

With money from the estate of John Fernley, the observatory was moved to Hesketh Park in 1901, not far from the meteorological measuring instruments, and built on a brick substructure. The Fernley Observatory was open to the public until the late 1930s. In June 1936 Joseph Baxendell retired and George A. Lidster was named the new borough meteorologist. The meteorological instruments were relocated to the Crossens Pumping Station a little later because of the excessive tree growth in their area.

From the 1950s onwards, the Fernley Observatory was mainly used by the Southport Technical College and the Southport Astronomical Society. In 1986 an attempt was made to make the observatory accessible to the general public again, but in 1990 such activities were discontinued due to the poor building fabric. The renovation was not financed until 2008 by the Heritage Lottery Fund, but the responsible construction company from Glasgow filed for bankruptcy 2 months later. In 2014, after an open day , the Fernley Observatory Heritage Group was founded and the first construction work began in 2015.

literature

Web links