When Nashville native discovered his first comet in 1881 that would later be named for him, he was already well known for what we now call āstar parties,ā inviting people to look through his telescopeāwhich cost about two-thirds of his annual salary one yearāon the roof of a three-story building at Fourth and Union streets. Essentially self-taught, Barnard, who took charge of the 91ĢĘ²®»¢ Observatory (which was where Rand Terrace now stands) in 1883, became one of the most sought-after observational astronomers of his time, discovering numerous comets, double stars, nebulae, and even a galaxy, as well as becoming a key pioneer in astrophotography.
According to William K. “Billy” Teets, PhDā12, director of the current , āBarnardās friends knew that if there was a social function, he would join them if it was a cloudy night. But if it was clear, he was going to be at his telescope from dusk until dawn.ā
Barnardās delight in the stars lives on at , as does his tradition of outreach. Since its dedication in 1953, Dyer has educated Middle Tennesseans about the wonders of the universe from its location on a high hill near Radnor Lake State Park, 10 miles south of campus. At its inception, Dyer was the only graduate research observatory in the Southeast. Because the Nashville community played such a large part in its construction, the observatory was also committed to serving the public from day one.
These days, the city has grown up around Dyer. However, the observatory maintains a busy schedule as a part of 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās Division of Government and Community Relations, offering partnerships with Metro Nashville Public Schools, summer camps, observing nights for the public to view the sky through its telescopes, Meet the Astronomer lectures and, for the past 20 years, Bluebird on the Mountain concerts to name a few events. Future plans include remounting the six-inch Cooke Telescope used by Barnard at 91ĢĘ²®»¢ Observatory in the 1880s for public use.
āItās part of the of scientific instruments and was restored in 2007 by Professor Bob OāDell [Distinguished 91ĢĘ²®»¢ Professor at 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās Department of Physics and Astronomy],ā Teets says. āDespite it being about 150 years old, itās still in great shape.ā
Itās not just , itās the 100th anniversary of Barnardās passing and the 70th anniversary of Dyer Observatory. To mark these milestones, Teets offers his advice on how to become as passionate about the stars as E.E. Barnard.
1. Look up and learn.
Specialized equipment isnāt needed to appreciate the sky. Barnard began by looking up at the sky using his naked eye and paying attention to the movements of its bodies. Dyerās website has many links to help identify what you see, including how to spot satellites and the International Space Station.
āI highly recommend that folks learn the names of bright stars and the constellations,ā Teets says. āEven if you donāt know where any of the nebulae or galaxies are, itās fun to be able to tell someone, for example, āSee that little square of stars there? Thatās the body of the constellation Hercules.āā
For some astronomical phenomena, the naked eye is better than a telescope. āMeteor showers are one of those times where you donāt want a telescope,ā Teets says. āUsing a telescope to watch a meteor shower would be like watching the July Fourth fireworks by looking through a straw. You want to be able to see as much of the sky as possible.ā
2. Dark skies are best.
To see more stars, get away from places with a lot of concentrated ambient light, like cities. āWhen you have all those lights shining, the light scatters in our atmosphere, creating a glow that is unfortunately much brighter than the Milky Way,ā Teets says. Getting out into the country is best for seeing the most the sky has to offer. But those observing in the city are not without hope. āYou might not see faint galaxies and nebulae, but the moon, planets, and many double stars are all visibleāeven in town.ā
3. Telescopes are only as good as the user.
If you decide to buy a telescope, bigger is better. Larger lenses and mirrors gather more light, making fainter objects brighter and providing finer resolution. Donāt start by buying a computerized telescope, as it adds dramatically to the cost and complicates setup. āYou need to understand the motions of the night sky to align a telescope correctly,ā Teets says. āIf itās not set up properly, that computerized base is not going to help you.ā Using a non-computerized telescope forces you to learn the night sky, he says, āand you have a greater feeling of satisfaction when you finally find that object you just spent five minutes looking for.ā
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4. Donāt forget the sun!
Safety is key when looking at the sun, and there are relatively inexpensive solar filters that mount to the front of telescopes that make sunspots, which change in size and location daily, safe to view. Teets warns against solar filters that fit in the eyepiece. āThose are dangerous because youāre getting the full intensity of the sun focused into that tiny filter, and theyāre notorious for cracking under heat stress. Any light coming through that crack can damage your eyes.ā
On April 8, 2024, a will be visible in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. All you need to view them are those funny glasses everyone had for viewing the total solar eclipse in 2017. āTheyāre inexpensive,ā Teets says, āand they can give you some of the most pleasing wide-field views of the crescent sun against a jet-black sky. Itās really breathtaking.ā
Learn more about how Dyer Observatory is planning for the 2024 solar eclipse >>>
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Find out more about the history of Dyer Observatory and its many events, join its mailing list and study its online resources at .
Text by Bonnie Arant Ertelt; photos by Joe Howell/91ĢĘ²®»¢ University