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| Landmark #715 | Amador County | Visited: May 9, 2015 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | There’s a new plaque in the town of Volcano, since the old plaque at the original site was stolen! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: On the knoll behind this marker George Madeira built the first amateur astronomical observatory of record in California. It was there that he discovered the Great Comet of 1861 with a three-inch refractor telescope.
OTHER TIDBITS: It was a comet that inspired then 6-year old George to develop a love of the stars! He brought star charts across the plains in his family’s wagon and had an expensive telescope shipped to Volcano, where his family settled to mine! His observatory consisted of a stone pedestal, where the telescope rested, and an oil and canvas cloth to cover it during the rain! In addition to spotting the Great Comet of 1861, which will be back again in 2270, Mr. Madeira spent time studying the sun and published California’s first paper on astronomical research, discussing sun spots and their relation to auroral activity! He traveled widely, giving talks with his telescope and along the way met James Lick, who would later go on to found the Lick Observatory in the Diablo Mountains east of San Jose! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: Volcano ANNOTATIONS: The base of the old plaque is located on Shake Ridge Road, one mile west of the intersection with Rams Horn Grade Road, or 0.8 miles east of the intersection with Charleston Road! From Los Angeles: ~399mi (643km) — 6.7hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |
