Rothney Astrophysical Observatory celebrates 50th anniversary

Calgary RASC astronomy club members observe Polaris at a public star party at the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory on July 27, 2019. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory west of Calgary is celebrating 50 years in operation.  

Located in Priddis, the observatory is known for its 41-centimetre telescope dome. 

The facility, owned and operated by the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary,  first opened on Jan. 7, 1972. 

It came to be after Dr. Alan Clark, professor emeritus in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, was tasked with locating a place for students from the newly established department to observe the night sky. 

"He explored the possibility of using the Photographic Zenith Tube Observatory that was located southwest of Calgary," a news release explained. 

"Clark visited the site and was awed by the spectacular south-southwest aspect of the hill near the site. The land was owned by Alexander ‘Sandy’ Rothney Cross, who was the grandson of A. E. Cross – one of the Big Four founders of the Calgary Stampede." 

Officials said when Alexander learned about the plans for an observatory, he offered a quarter section of the land to the university as a gift. 

Alexander was given the honour of naming the observatory, and suggested Rothney, his middle name and also his grandmother's name. 

Officials with the observatory say through the 50 years it has been in operation, it has benefited from of four major funding and land gifts from the Cross family.