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Ukiah
International
Latitude Observatory INTERNATIONAL LATITUDE NETWORK* ". . . six stations, all located near the parallel of 39 degrees 08 minutes, north latitude. . ." "A report of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey for 1891-1899 records an agreement reached by members of the International Geodetic Association to establish six observatories for the purpose of measuring the variations in latitude caused by the earth's wobble on its polar axis. This program, known as the International Polar Motion Service, was initiated in 1899 with the establishment of six stations, all located near the parallel of 39° 08 ' north latitude to permit uniform computations. The observatories were: Gaithersburg, Maryland Carloforte, Italy Tschardjui, Russia Mizusawa, Japan Ukiah, California Cincinnati, Ohio
These six observatories worked closely together
carrying out a program of star study selected by Dr.Hishashi
Kimura, astronomer in charge of the Mizusawa station. Twelve
groups of stars, each containing six pairs at small distances
not exceeding 24 degrees and two pairs at a greater distance
of 60 degrees were selected. Two groups of the stars were observed
each night at each station in accordance with a schedule of
dates, time, and duration prepared by Dr. Kimura. The irregular
daily motion of the earth's axis was believed to be extremely
small, but the extent could be determined by precise measurements
of the stars."
When I was a young man, I had a great interest in astronomy. I still do. But the fires of my excitement dimmed when I discovered modern astronomy was about physics and math, and not the music of the spheres. By chance, I happened to have landed in Ukiah the year after a 100 year astronomy project ended. Now I'm volunteering to help restore this astronomical artifact. (And restore my appreciation of astronomy as an art and a dance.) View the Site Index
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