The "Schwartz" is a .
Most of the names given our telescopes reflect important connections with and contributions to our observatory.
Our oldest, most
historic telescope, the Fitz was purchased by Alfred University in 1863. Built
by the American optician, Henry Fitz (hence its name), it is a nine inch, f/13
refractor. Originally housed in the Rogers Observatory formerly near the heart
of the Alfred University campus, it was mothballed for decades and then
rediscovered and put back to use in the late 1950's and early 1960's. The orginal wooden tube was badly damaged during the instrument's "lost years" and was replaced with a metal one at that time. Used for our public nights as well as our introductory labs, it remains a fine telescope for the study of planets, double stars and bright clusters.
These three telescopes are the only mass-produced telescopes at the Observatory. Named for Lee and Mary Hunt, the father and mother-in-law of the Observatory's modern founder, John Stull, the Hunt is a Meade 8 inch LX-200. This is a computer-controlled telescope
which is used for student projects and general viewing.
The "Schwartz" is a .
The "Baby Dome" contains an 8 inch Celestron SCT and is used with a Daystar
filter for H alpha monitoring of solar flares using a high-speed video
technique.
The Olson is a 14 inch f/6
Newtonian reflector named for the late founder of the Ash Dome Company L.E.
"Ole" Olson. Equipped with an ST-6 CCD imager and a 4x5 film camera, this
instrument is used by beginning labs as well as the Astronomy Club. After proper
training, Alfred University students can use this instrument without faculty
supervision.
The Grindle, named for
Paul Grindle, the head of Harvard Apparatus (formerly Ealing Corporation) is a
heavily modified Ealing "Educator" Cassegrain (16 inch, f/11 - f/3.2). It
retains options for use either in Cassegrain or prime-focus mode. A 6 inch f/10
refractor as a guider makes this a particularly nice all-purpose installation.
The Rose, named for
.
Named for a local artist
and amateur astronomer who was active in the re-establishment of the
Observatory, the Metzger is a 20 inch f/5.5 Newtonian reflector. It is the largest
of the telescopes regularly used by our introductory astronomy lab.
This is our largest
telescope, at 32 (and 1/4 !) inches, at f/4. It is computer-controlled from a
warmroom in one corner of the dome and includes an automated filter wheel and
focusser as well as the option for various CCD's. It is used by upper-level
students as well as faculty for more advanced projects and research. Its name
recognizes both the contributions of Austin Grindle, late general manager of
Harvard Instruments, and those of all Alfred University faculty and staff who
have died since the re-establishment of the Observatory in 1966.