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DETAIL:
The 36" telescope will be one of the largest reflector telescopes available to the
public in the United States. The telescope will be housed in a rolling roof observatory, in which the domed roof rolls off onto the building, allowing the telescope open access to 360 degrees of sky. Designed as a classical Cassegrain telescope, the f/8 (288-inch) optical path incorporates several mirrors which bring starlight to a focus at a height much more usable than most telescopes its size. With a tube only seven feet long, the average height above the floor for the viewing eyepiece will be around five feet.
Large reflector telescopes enable the human eye to discern the colors of deep space objects, offering breathtaking views of the cosmos. The telescope will be fully computer-controlled and remotely operable. The telescope's digital CCD camera will capture photographs of distant galaxies in a matter of minutes, which will then be accessible through Chabot's website.
The telescope, funded through a generous donation from Merrill and Lillian Martin of Oakland, will be named "Nellie" after Mr. Martin’s grandmother and youngest daughter. Scheduled for completion later this year, "Nellie" joins the 20-inch "Rachel," the largest refractor telescope in the western U.S. regularly open to the public; and "Leah," an 8-inch Alvan Clark refractor that is the original 1883 instrument donated by founder Anthony Chabot.
Chabot's telescopes are open for free public viewing on Fridays and Saturdays, from dusk to 11 p.m. For complete info go to
www.chabotspace.org.
* the time of the actual crane-drop onto the observatory housing is subject to weather, such as high wind. At this time, the crane is scheduled to lift the roof between
1 pm and 3 pm.
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