Section
Astronomy and Physics

Telescopes

The telescopes are identical Meade LX200 16-inch diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, with fully computerized functions that allow the user to automatically locate celestial objects easily. They also possess clock drives that automatically move the telescopes to counter the Earth's rotation, and thus objects stay in view as long as they are above the horizon. The telescopes can be controlled manually from within the Observatory domes as well as by powerful computers, housed in the adjacent climate-controlled Russell Control Room, which allow sophisticated software to control all functions of the telescopes. For example, students can completely control the telescopes by sitting at a desk and clicking on a computerized star map, which in turn directs the telescope to that position. Photography of the object can then be initiated with the results appearing on the computer screen minutes later, ready for storage and later image enhancement.

Inside Domes