Lamont-Hussey 69 cm (27 inch) Refractor
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Manufacturers
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and more information about Sources.
Related Links:
Ehrlich
Park Fire Station Museum.
Photo
gallery
In brief
Important Contributions:
Description:
-
The telescope was a refractor with a 27-inch lens. The lens
was supplied by Jena in Europe and was of exceptional quality
and had great resolution power. It was the biggest refractor
in the Southern Hemisphere when it was installed in 1928. The
telescope was temporarily installed on its base just outside
Detroit
Observatory of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. It was
taken to South Africa in November 1926. It was primarily
used for the discovery and measurement of double stars.
- When
the Observatory was closed down Michigan University gave the
building and telescope away free of charge: the telescope
fell into the hands of the Municipality and the building went
to PACOFS. PACOFS took good care of the building and is
still maintaining it. The telescope met a more unfortunate fate,
though it is still salvageable. The telescope consisted
out of a tube (consisting of two segments), a counter weight
and a foot piece. These parts are currently housed in the Fire
Station Museum in Bloemfontein. The optics of the telescope
went back to Michigan University where it is currently in safekeeping.
- Part
of the Bloemfontein branch of A.S.S.A. is an organisation called
the "Friends of Boyden". Their members has done stirling work
in tracking the individual parts of the telescope and moving
it to Ehrlichpark
Fire Station Museum.
For more information click here.
Historical Background
Owner:
192? - 1972 University of Michigan.
Where Located:
-
Detroit Observatory of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- 1926
- 1972 Lamont-Hussey,
Bloemfontein
Current Information
Present Location:
-
The tube is housed at the Fire
Station Museum
in Bloemfontein
- The
optics are held at Michigan University
Owner:
Status:
Unserviceable
Condition:
Telescope taken apart and pieces of it is now at Fire Station Museum.
Technical Details
Type: Refractor
Aperture: 27 inch (68.58 cm)
Focal Length:
Lens:
Mounting:
Attachments:
Manufacturer: Lens made by Jena in Europe, and was of exceptional quality and had great resolution power.
Operational History:
Building: The Lamont-Hussey Observatory is now used as a theatre. The building is located on Naval Hill, a nature reserve on a hill in the middle of the City of Bloemfontein.
Sources
Link
to the Main Bibliography
Section
and more information about Sources.
Documentation:
Pictorial Sources:
Bibliography:
- Moore, P. & Collins, P., Astronomy in Southern Africa, p (General Source)
- Smits P. A Brief History of Astronomy in Southern Africa. (Unpublished).
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