THIS IS AMERICA - Naval Observatory in Washington

THIS IS AMERICA - Naval¹ Observatory² in Washington

By Jill Moss³

Broadcast: September 23, 2002
VOICE ONE:

The United States Naval Observatory performs an important scientific duty for the
United States, the Navy, and the Department of Defense⁴. This job helps keep
America secure. I’m Mary Tillotson.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. The United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D-C,
is our report today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
((THEME)
)
VOICE ONE:

 

The purpose of the United States Naval Observatory is to discover the exact
position and motion of the Earth, sun, moon, planets, stars and other space
objects. In addition, the observatory establishes exact time, measures the turning
of the Earth, and keeps the Master Clock for the United States.

These astronomical⁵ and timing⁶ records are very important for the American Navy
and Department of Defense. The Navy uses the information to help boats find
their direction through navigation. The Defense Department needs the
information to support communication on Earth and in space. Also, scientists use
the astronomical and timing records to carry out research linked to the purpose of

the Observatory.

VOICE TWO:

People who visit the Naval Observatory can see some surprising things. For example, there are more than eighty-
thousand books related to time and space in the Observatory library. This is one of the most complete collections
of historic and current scientific publications.

The library also serves as a storage area for many rare books and publications dating back to the fifteenth century.
They include works by British mathematician⁷ Sir Isaac Newton, who developed the theory of gravitation. This
theory says gravity pulls all objects in the Earth’s atmosphere toward the center of the Earth.

VOICE ONE:

Works written by the Italian scientist Galileo are also stored in the Observatory library. Galileo discovered the
four large moons of Jupiter in the early sixteen-hundreds. The moons are named Ganymede, Io, Europa and
Callisto. They are also sometimes called the Galilean moons or the Galilean satellites.

Several works written by other famous scientists are also stored at the Naval Observatory. These include works
by German astronomer⁸ Johannes Kepler and Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. The library mostly serves
the needs of scientists who work at the observatory. However, private researchers are also welcome to use the
books.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE TWO:


There are several interesting telescopes at the Naval Observatory. The largest
telescope at the Observatory has a glass lens that measures sixty-six centimeters
across. This telescope has an interesting history. It was completed in eighteen-
seventy-three at a cost of fifty-thousand dollars. At that time, it was the largest
refracting telescope in the world. Refracting astronomical telescopes need two
lenses to examine images in space.

Alvan Clark made the large lens and a support system for the telescope. He and his
two sons owned a lens building company in the eastern state of Massachusetts.

Visitors to the Naval Observatory can hear how Mister Clark had the glass specially⁹
made for the sixty-six centimeter lens. For two years, he rejected several pieces of
glass because they were not perfect. Finally, he decided¹⁰ on one piece made with two
different kinds of glass. Mister Clark used his hands to rub down and shine the glass
into its current shape.

VOICE ONE:

In eighteen-seventy-seven, just four years after the telescope was in place,

astronomer Asaph Hall discovered the two moons of Mars. This discovery of
Phobos and Deimos made the Naval Observatory famous. Mister Hall was honored by many of the world’s
leading scientific organizations.

In eighteen-seventy-nine, the astronomer received the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Great
Britain. Members of the Hall family gave the medal to the Naval Observatory as a gift six years ago.

VOICE TWO:

The family also gave the Observatory a special award given to Mister Hall by President Abraham Lincoln in
eighteen-sixty-four. Visitors can see these two awards and several others given to Mister Hall in the Observatory
library.

Today, Naval Observatory astronomers¹¹ still use the telescope that Asaph Hall used to make his famous
discovery. They use it to measure stars and the position of the moons of the furthest planets.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

The Naval Observatory is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the country. It was first built in eighteen-thirty
in the area of Washington, D-C called Foggy Bottom. At that time, the agency was called the Depot¹² of Charts and
Instruments. It was responsible for the care of all maps, sea documents and other navigational equipment used by
the United States Navy. In eighteen-forty-four, the responsibilities of the organization increased and it was
renamed the United States Naval Observatory.

The ground at Foggy Bottom was often wet because of flooding along the Potomac River. The conditions were
unhealthy. So in eighteen-ninety-three, the Observatory moved north to its current area. Richard Morris Hunt
designed several of the main buildings on the new Observatory grounds. He was a famous nineteenth-century
American architect.

VOICE TWO:

Today, the most famous building on the grounds of the Observatory is the home of the American vice¹³ president.
The house had been built in eighteen-ninety-three for the supervisor¹⁴ of the Observatory. In nineteen-seventy-four,
Congress selected the house to be the home for all future vice presidents. Before this time, vice presidents either
bought a temporary house in Washington or stayed at hotels.

Vice President Gerald Ford¹⁵ and his wife Betty were the first people permitted to live in the house. However, the
resignation of President Richard Nixon came before repairs on the house were completed. Instead, the Fords
moved into the White House when Gerald Ford became President.


VOICE ONE:

Mister Ford’s vice president, Nelson Rockefeller, was a wealthy man who had his own home in Washington.
Mister Rockefeller did not live in the National Observatory home. Instead, he used the house mainly as a place to
meet special guests. The house finally got its first family in nineteen-seventy-seven. Walter Mondale and his wife
Joan moved in at the beginning of the administration of President Jimmy Carter. Every vice president since then
has lived in the home on the grounds of the Naval Observatory.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE TWO:

The Naval Observatory has many important responsibilities. For example, one main duty is to declare official
time used in the United States. This exact timekeeping is performed with atomic clocks known as master clocks.
The time is correct to within one nanosecond a day. That is one-thousand-millionth of a second. The United
States military uses this exact time to help with communications and navigation.

VOICE ONE:

The Observatory also produces three very important publications each year. They are The Astronomical
Almanac, The Nautical¹⁶ Almanac and The Air Almanac. These three publications include exact information about
the position of the sun, moon, planets and stars in relation to air, space and water navigation.

In several years, the Observatory hopes to launch a new satellite space telescope. The United States space agency,
NASA, will take part in the project. The space telescope will be used to find the position, distance, motion,
brightness and color of about forty-million stars in space. By studying these stars, the Naval Observatory hopes to
improve the world’s knowledge of the universe and its size.

VOICE TWO:

People can visit the United States Naval Observatory every other Monday. Visits begin at night and include a
presentation of the history and purpose of the organization. Visitors can see several historic buildings and the
Observatory library. Also, if the weather is clear, visitors can use the Observatory’s smaller thirty-centimeter
telescope to look at the stars in space.

((THEME))

VOICE ONE:

This program was written by Jill Moss. It was produced by Caty Weaver¹⁷. I’m Mary Tillotson.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA
Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

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1 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

2 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

3 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 mathematician   

n.数学家

参考例句：

• The man with his back to the camera is a mathematician.背对着照相机的人是位数学家。
• The mathematician analyzed his figures again.这位数学家再次分析研究了他的这些数字。

8 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。

9 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 astronomers   

n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

13 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

14 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

15 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

16 nautical   

adj.海上的，航海的，船员的

参考例句：

• A nautical mile is 1,852 meters.一海里等于1852米。
• It is 206 nautical miles from our present location.距离我们现在的位置有206海里。

17 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。