How a High-Altitude Observatory Shaped Colorado’s Story

Arielle Wiedenbeck — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 18:45:47 +0000

How a High-Altitude Observatory Shaped Colorado’s Story Arielle Wiedenbeck Thu, 06/05/2025 - 12:45

Elaina Caywood

“A place can be understood as an earthly reality defined by longitude and latitude, with physical features to be detailed by geologists, geographers, and documentary photographers. At the same time, place is affective, defined by a series of experiences in time and their impact on those who linger.” – Hanna Rose Shell, Artist’s Statement

The ��ý strives for innovation, continually looking towards the future. But envisioning the future requires remembering the past. Colorado is home to numerous sites dedicated to scientific advancement—but what were the origins of these places, and what can they teach us about our path forward?

Hanna Rose Shell explores this question through the remarkable story of Walter Orr Roberts, drawing on her background in both historical scholarship with mixed-media artmaking. Shell is a professor in the College of Arts & Sciences, jointly appointed in the Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts and the Department of Art & Art History, and recent faculty director of the Stan Brakhage Center for Media Arts.

In 2017, Shell moved to Colorado to teach at ��ý Boulder, where she was able to transition from a Social Sciences-oriented department at MIT, called Science, Technology and Society, to a new academic home more explicitly in line with her artistic and creative scholarly inclinations. Shell’s transition from Massachusetts to Colorado echoed that of the young astrophysicist who Shell has since made the center of her community-engaged and scholarly projects: Walter Orr Roberts.

Roberts, a graduate student, and his wife, Janet Smock, moved to Climax, Colorado in 1940 to establish North America’s first coronagraph—a specialized telescope used to study the sun’s gaseous halo. Built atop a vast molybdenite mine on the Continental Divide, the small observatory served as a hazardous but groundbreaking scientific base for seven years. During that time, Roberts not only conducted pioneering research on the solar corona but also contributed significantly to the World War II effort. His ionospheric observations enabled him to forecast solar disruptions days in advance, which proved crucial for maintaining radio communications. This achievement, alongside the mine’s role in weapon production with molybdenite, created an unlikely but powerful alliance: the miners of Climax and a Harvard scientist working together to support the Allied Powers. During his time in Climax, Roberts formed strong relationships with the miners, bridging the academic and industrial worlds.

“The kind of project that occurred at Climax in those years brought together so many different kinds of backgrounds, types of expertise and political leanings. It is an inspiring model for how we can find ways to engage with people from a wide range of stakeholders, with distinctive political ideologies,” said Shell.

Through extensive archival research in Colorado and Massachusetts, Shell became captivated by Roberts’ story. With support from the Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship (PACES) and the Research and Innovation Office, she created a multimedia project that explores Roberts’ legacy while prompting reflection about themes such as nature and technology, innovation and destruction, communication and connection.

Shell’s PACES-supported work debuted in April 2025 during Boulder Art Week at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Mesa Laboratory’s Art-Science Gallery. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Flatirons, the exhibit featured photographs of the Climax observatory and mine alongside Shell’s contemplative reflections on Roberts’ achievements and the broader history of scientific exploration. The photos range from personal snapshots by Roberts or Smock, to photos of the observatory, to the actual photos Roberts took of the corona.

Across these materials, the story of the Climax Observatory shines through in all its glory. In the exhibition, beside an archival photograph from the inside of the old Climax observatory, was a pensive statement from Shell: “For me, both the historical legacy and present-day reality of the former site of the Climax Observatory exemplifies a kind of liminality: between darkness and light; between the reaches of the heavens and the depths of the earth; between the vital energies that prompt scientific discovery, and the potential hazards that accompany the human drive for material extraction.”

Hanna Rose Shell presents her work at NCAR Mesa Lab, April 25, 2025.

On April 25, Shell presented her work at the Solar Nexus event, also held at NCAR’s Mesa Lab. Supported by her PACES grant, the event—livestreamed for broader access—brought together researchers from diverse fields of solar science.

Shell discussed Roberts’ life and work, describing the challenges and triumphs he and Smock experienced. The talk featured photos, letters, and archival materials illustrating Roberts’ work and experiences. In a segment titled “Conversations of the Plurality of Worlds,” an actress read Smock’s letters aloud, offering insights into the observatory and the mine and their influence on the surrounding environment. Shell concluded her presentation with a clip from a documentary filmed by Roberts, sharing his solar observations and reflections. The clip was composed of time-lapsed photographs of the corona halo stitched together to showcase the changes Roberts was tracking. Reflections about the future of solar research and nuclear power accompanied the corona visuals.

The presentation was followed by Sarah Gibson, who presented current initiatives at the High-Altitude Observatory (HAO), and Alexandra Lockhart, a dancer who fuses heliophysics with performance art.

Shell’s interdisciplinary exploration of Roberts’ story integrates photography, film, music and letters to illuminate a compelling narrative. “One of my goals for the project is to bring this history to Boulder and to the world of atmospheric and environmental science,” she said. “It's so interesting that the seed of NCAR originated from this great collaboration between the biggest mine in the country, at the time, and a Harvard researcher.”

A central theme in Shell’s work is the idea of generative collaboration—between disciplines, communities and even ideologies—and how it shapes Colorado’s identity. Although the state has diversified beyond its mining roots, many towns still carry that legacy. For Shell, this community-engaged project offered an opportunity to “engage and learn about the history, geography and communities of Colorado,” while connecting people across divides through a shared scientific heritage.

“��ý Boulder is located in one part of Colorado, so it’s very important to find ways to bring in the local community, and also people from other parts of the state,” she said. “Roberts’ work inspires us to work together on a single interest, despite our differences.”

Shell hopes to bring her exhibit to other Colorado communities, such as Leadville. With its mining history and proximity to the Climax site, Leadville offers a perspective “from the mining extraction side,” reconnecting Roberts’ work with the mining community and extending it beyond the academic community of Boulder.

“This can achieve a number of important things,” Shell explained. “One is to spread the story. Two is to get people thinking about how their perspectives and histories are more connected to those of others—people who may have different jobs, upbringings or political opinions. I really want this work to bridge the state, so to speak. I think that’s an exciting opportunity.”

Beyond its academic and public significance, the project resonates deeply with Shell on a personal level. Like Roberts, she left Massachusetts to pursue an academic career in Colorado. “I felt a lot of connection to this young astronomer and his wife,” she reflected. “Roberts came to Colorado from Massachusetts to build this observatory. He stayed here his whole life and became incredibly impactful to the state. He found direction, meaning and inspiration in a new place. That is what drew me—and continues to keep me—with this story. This project has become a wonderful way for me to connect with Colorado, as Roberts did.”

Looking ahead, Shell hopes her work will inspire Coloradans to transcend cultural and class boundaries in the name of collaboration and progress. Through visual storytelling, she encourages us to reflect on the “historical legacies” and “present-day realities” of the places we inhabit. Her work challenges us to consider not only how scientific progress is achieved—but by whom, and for what purpose.

To learn more about Shell’s project, read her NCAR Mesa Lab Flyer or explore her film project through her article, “Conversations of the Plurality of Worlds."

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