Finding Aid to the Patrick McCray research material for his book, Giant Telescopes, 1970-1997Niels Bohr Library & Archives 1.0 American Institute of Physics Niels Bohr Library & Archives
One Physics Ellipse College Park, MD 20740 USA nbl@aip.org
2009 Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Melanie J. Brown in 2009. Any revisions made to this finding aid occurred as part of the editing and encoding process. Finding aid is written in English. Description of the CollectionMcCray, Patrick (W. Patrick) Patrick McCray research material for his book, Giant Telescopes 1970-1997 American Institute of Physics. Niels Bohr Library & Archives. 5 linear feet5 records box(s) AR2009875 English Correspondence, reports, notes, press items and clippings and other research material assembled and created by McCray while writing his book "Giant Telescopes: astronomical ambition and the promise of technology" (Harvard University Press, 2004). Selected Search Terms

These papers have been indexed in the International Catalog of Sources for History of Physics and Allied Sciences (ICOS) using the following terms. Those seeking related materials should search under these terms.

McCray, Patrick (W. Patrick) Gemini Project Kitt Peak National Observatory Multiple Mirror Telescope Observatory National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) National Optical Astronomy Observatory (U.S.) National Science Foundation (U.S.) Next Generation Telescope Steward Observatory Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Astronomy. Telescopes. Design and construction. Reports. Research notes. Biographical Note

Professor, Department of History, UC Santa Barbara. Research interests: the confluence of science and technology with politics and popular culture; technology during the Cold War (nuclear and space-related).

Scope and Contents of Collection

This collection contains correspondence, reports, notes, press items and clippings and other research material assembled and created by McCray while writing his book "Giant Telescopes: astronomical ambition and the promise of technology" (Harvard University Press, 2004). Topics and individuals discussed in these files include: Gemini 8M Telescope Project; other large telescopes such as the Next Generation Telescope (NGT) and National New Technology Telescope (NNTT); observatories and organizations such as Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), Steward Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML), National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA); government funding of telescope construction by the National Science Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences; and developments in astronomy and telescope construction.

 Organization and Arrangement of Collection

The collection is organized into six series:

Series I: Gemini 8M Telescope Project Series II: Next Generation Telescope (NGT) and National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) - Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) Series III: Steward Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) Series IV: Telescopes Series V: Astronomy Series VI: Miscellaneous

Arranged chronologically within each series.

 Access to Collection

Researchers must have an approved access application on file in order to access archival materials. http://www.aip.org/history/nbl/access.html.

 Restrictions on Use of Collection

Provenance and Acquisition Information

Gift of Patrick McCray, 2007.

 Processing Information

Melanie J. Brown 2009.

Preferred Citation of Collection

Box [number], Folder [number], Patrick McCray research material for his book, Giant Telescopes, 1904-2003. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library & Archives, College Park, MD 20740, USA.

 Container List Series I: Gemini 8M Telescope Project 11 Gemini Project - U.S. politics (formal and informal) regarding Gemini, 1983-1993 12 Gemini - mirror selection (with index) (1 of 2), 1985-1993 13 Gemini - mirror selection (with index) (2 of 2), 1985-1993 14 Gemini - international collaboration: United Kingdom and Canada, 1987-2001 15 Gemini - forums on "megascience" (with index), 1988-1992 16 Gemini management - board and committee meeting minutes, 1990-1993 17 Gemini - project management - correspondence and reports, 1990-2001 18 Gemini - "Science" requirements, science/design issues, 1991-1996 19 Gemini board meeting book, November 1992 110 Gemini - international collaboration: South America and Australia, 1992-2002 111 Gemini 8M Telescope Project - materials for the Gemini oversight committee, May 1993 112 Gemini project - telescope instrumentation, 1993-2002 21 Gemini 8M Telescope Project - papers submitted to SPIE 1994 Symposium on Astromonmical Telescope and Instrumentation for the 21st Century (RPT-PS-60029), March 1994 22 Gemini - board meeting minutes, 1994-1998 23 Gemini - telescopes - management issues and tools, 1995-2001 24 Gemini - miscellaneous documents, 1996-1997 25 Gemini - miscellaneous material, 1999-2002 26 Gemini finding aids, 2000 27 Gemini - science results (press releases, reports), 2000-2002 28 List of Gemini and telescope documents at National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Astronomical Sciences, 2001 Series II: Next Generation Telescope (NGT) and National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) - Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) 29 Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) - history and establishment, National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) - miscellaneous press, 1992-2000 210 Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) - "X"-inch project, 1953; undated 211 Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) telescopes - 150", 80", 1965; undated 212 Next Generation Telescope (NGT) to National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) - primary material and notes (w/index), 1975-1987 213 Next Generation Telescope (NGT) - technology development program, 1977 214 NSF proposal - "The Palantir": a concept for a 25M telescope - Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), January 1977 215 Next Generation Telescope (NGT) report #2 - a concept for a 25M telescope - the rotating shoe array, Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), May 1977 216 Next Generation Telescope (NGT), National New Technology Telescope (NNTT), Gemini - miscellaneous documents (w/index), 1977-1993 217 Next Generation Telescope (NGT) to National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) - technology articles, staff publications and news updates, 1978-1988 218 Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) 2M Advanced Technology Telescope (ATT), 1979 219 Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) - additional newletters, 1979-1992 220 Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), Gemini - newsletters, 1980-1994 221 National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) - status report, April 1983 222 National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) Scientific Advisory Committee meeting #s 5, 6, and 7, November 1983-January 1984 223 Consultant notes from National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) Scientific Advisory Committee technology assessment workshops, 1984 31 Larry Barr files - notes on National New Technology Telescope (NNTT)/National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) 8M telescope, 1998, 1977-1986 32 National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) - technology development program - Report number 3 - notes on the NNTT design workshop, 1982 33 Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)/National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) - correspondence, minutes, reports (w/index) (1 of 2), 1983-1999 34 Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)/National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) - correspondence, minutes, reports (w/index) (2 of 2), 1983-1999 35 National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) - report of the National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) Scientific Advisory Committee, December 1984 36 National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) 8M telescopes - executive summary and scientific programs, 1989 37 National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) 8M telescopes - technical description, September 1989 Series III: Steward Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) 38 Mirror Lab - popular press, articles, 1977-2002 39 Steward Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) proposals of the 1980s (NSF, AURA, KPNO, NOAO), 1981-1989 310 Steward Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) - publications, 1981-2001 311 University of Arizona Steward - Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) - proposal for the fabrication of telescope primary mirror blanks for the Gemini project, June 1992 312 Steward Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) project - internal reports and documents, 1982-1989 313 Steward Observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) - press releases, news and popular articles, 1987-1998 Series IV: Telescopes 314 Lick Observatory 120" telescope, undated 315 Telescopes - Hale 200" - papers by Ritchy Hale, 1904-2001 316 Papers on large telescopes - demand, issues, general design, reviews, panel discussions (1 of 2), 1961-2002 41 Papers on large telescopes - demand, issues, general design, reviews, panel discussions (2 of 2), 1961-2002 42 Canadian Queen Elizabeth II (QE2) 157" telescope, 1964-1968; undated 43 Corning Glass Works astronomical telescopes, 1965 44 Telescopes - computers, data handling, automation, 1967-2001 45 Telescopes - site selection, Hawaii and Mt. Graham, 1968-2001 46 Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) - upgrade, 1970-2002 47 Telescopes - Soviet 6M, 1977-1992 48 Keck Telescope, University of California (UC) 10M telescope, UC Segmented Mirror Telescope (SMT) - tech development, 1978-1998 49 Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) - the MMT and the future of ground-based astronomy (Special Report number 385), May 1979 410 Telescopes - technical literature (A-L), 1980-1999 411 Telescopes - technical literature (M-Z), 1980-1999 412 National Science Foundation (NSF) development program for a national 15M telescope, 1981 413 Mirrors and telescopes - commercial interest, 1982-2000 414 European Southern Observatory (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT), 1983-1998 415 University of Texas (Astronomy, number 22) - report of the optical conference on the 7.6M telescope, March 1992, May 1984 416 Telescopes - Subaru project, 1984-1999 417 Telescopes - Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), 1985-1998 418 Hubble Space Telescope, 1985-1999 419 Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), Southern Observatory for Astrophysical Research (SOAR), Wisconsin Indiana Yale NOAO (WIYN) telescope, Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC), and Starfire Optical Range (SOR) 3.5M, 1986-1998 420 Telescopes - miscellaneous material and news, 1986-2002 421 Science and Engineering Research Council - astronomy and planetary science board - report of the large telescope panel, 1987 422 National Science Foundation (NSF) proposal - making large borosilicate glass honeycomb mirrors for astronomical telescopes, 1987 423 National Science Foundation (NSF) proposal - casting and polishing telescope mirrors, 1989 51 William Herschel Telescope - La Palma, 1990 52 Telescopes - Magellan, 1994-2001 53 California Extremely Large Telescope (CELT), Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT), Overwhelmingly Large Telescope (OWL) - press, 1998-2002 Series V: Astronomy 54 Astronomy - detectors and Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs), 1955-2001 55 Astronomy - "practice" and use of telescopes, 1972-2002 56 History of astronomy - funding and policy, 1972-2003 57 Astronomy - publication, citation, productivity papers, 1980-2001 58 Astronomy - policy papers and reports, 1990-1999 59 Astronomy - visibility and publicity, 1994-2001 Series VI: Miscellaneous 510 R. Gehrz - personal/working file material, University of Minnesota (w/index), 1976-1983 511 Adaptive optics (1 of 2), 1978-2002 512 Adaptive optics (2 of 2), 1978-2002 513 U.S. science policy and funding (general), 1980s through 1990s, 1980-2000 514 United Kingdom science - background, 1982-2001 515 Richard Ellis - personal papers on various topics (w/index), 1986-1995 516 European Southern Observatory (ESO) - general, 1988-2002 517 National Academy of Science (NAS) - McKee-Taylor decadal survey, 2000, 1999-2001 518 Guides to primary documents and finding aids, 2001; undated 519 National Academy of Science (NAS) - blue ribbon panel, 2001 520 Sloan Digital Sky Survey, 2001