What's happened? What's going on?
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The outdoor wall sconces were replaced in September 2008. The originals were literally falling apart as years of corrosion ate away at the thin metal strips holding the units together. Modern "antiqued" shaded fixtures replace the originals and compact florescent lights were installed in them. We plan to replace the CF lights with LED bulbs reducing wattage, illumination, and eliminating the last bit of glare as we try and set a good nighttime lighting example.
In September 2008 the cement stucco wall of the observing chamber (the curved room under the dome) were scraped to remove flaking paint. The wall was painted as were the already-painted faces of the capstones that support the dome and its rotation mechanics.
The weight-driven mechanical clock drive was removed in spring 2006 and was cleaned and restored by a local expert. The clock was mechanically sound but oil had grown old and gunky, holding dirt which can damage gears. The goal of the work was accurate and reliable operation without undue wear to the +100-year-old mechanism. The result was a clock drive that not only runs well but looks beautiful. The drive looks like it just came from a jewelry shop thanks to area tower clock expert Frank Del Greco! For a "before and after" look at the clock, visit this page. It was reinstalled in October 2006.
The objective lens cell was removed in the summer of 2006 and was taken to the Brashear Division L-3 Communications plant in Pittsburgh, Penn. for examination, cleaning, and adjustment. There was a white, cloudy deposit between the elements that may have affected image quality or even proved damaging to the glass. Brashear is the descendent of the original John Brashear Co. that made the objective in the first place. After a century and several changes in organization and ownership, the business continues today as a respected world leader in telescope optics. Upon disassembly technicians discovered and repaired a chip in the edge of one of the lenses. Of course the glass was also expertly cleaned. The objective is now sparkling and, after a review of optical test results and consulting with optical and historical experts, the unit was reassembled with crown glass forward (see our technical page on the lens).
The Brashear-equipped brass finder telescope was refurbished late in 2006. The finder's tube had tarnished to an ugly brown/green and its surface was stained, dirty, and pitted. See what it looked like then and now, after restoration; visit this page.
The observatory also owns an orange-tube Celestron 8 SCT dating from about 1980. The 110V electrical supply cord has turned up so now we can see if the telescope's built-in clock drives work (Celestron doesn't stock the cord). The Celestron appears to be in fine shape optically but could use a much better mount and tripod.
We continue to work on cleaning up and fixing up of the observatory building. The office windows have been repaired, door and wood trim painted, and the dome's exterior has been painted thanks to the College. We're also pleased to see the new look of the flagstone walkways that lead from the street to our front door. Overgown sod was cut away by groundskeeping staff and it looks like a new walk made in the old style! Overall the grounds look much better and present a much better image in the community.