Bristol Astronomy
Club
1950's (cont.)
The club began meeting at the College and utilized the 6-inch telescope which had already been constructed. King College had already provided for the mounting and for the housing of this telescope. A site on the southern edge of the campus was selected for construction of an observatory with the Moonwatch station to be located just to the west of the telescope dome.
In early 1958, the Smithsonian encouraged its Moonwatch stations to practice in preparation for the upcoming satellite launches. Satellite observations had to be made just after dusk or just before dawn-- the observer would be in darkness, but the satellite would still be in sunlight high overhead and so easily seen against the dark sky.
The astronomy club members would man the station after sundown and King College students and faculty would man it before sunrise. The group planned to be ready for the first satellite launch in 1959.
The King College Moonwatch Station in Action-- April 31, 1958. In the foreground is Dr. B. A. Barrington, Biology Professor at King-- the two students are unknown.
King College's First Observatory
Inside the dome
As the Bristol Astronomy Club began to function, Ward Carter was selected as its first president. Other members were Nat Lowe, Joe Godsey, Bill and Anne Chambers, Gene Gilfillen, Milton Abercrombie, Lynn Bryngelson, and from the faculty of King College, Dr. B. A. Barrington, Dr. Roy H. Bailey, and Dr. Ed Burke.
