Recently commissioned at Cardiff University, this 20-inch catadioptric Wise-Newtonian on a fully-computerised Paramount German equatorial is shown being used by Hugh Lang, the person responsible for running it. The head of department is Professor Derek Ward-Thompson, an enthusiastic proponent of the Wise-Newtonian telescope design. We hope to have a review of this instrument online soon.
Zerochromat heads west to Arizona
We are happy to announce that we're close to first light on an exciting new development that will see an 8-inch Zerochromat on a fully-computerised Paramount German equatorial mount operating under superb skies near the Arizona Sky Village. You can read more about it by clicking here.
The World's Largest Refractor?
We all know that the Yerkes 40-inch refractor was never a total success, due to the large difference in foci between the blue, green and red wavelengths. It was a tremendous achievement, but 19th Century optics were just not up to the job. The Zerochromat is a different story. It is actually possible to contruct a 50-inch refractor with less than 0.1mm difference between the red, green and blue foci!
With an OG weight of around 32kg, and an estimated telescope weight of 200kg using modern materials, plus a length of 6m, large refractors once again become a real possibility. Amazingly, the spot size on-axis is less than 0.2 arcseconds and less than 0.3 arcseconds at 0.2° diameter off-axis.
What will it cost? We estimate that the telescope tube assembly cost will be in the region of US$1 million — Peter
Horace Dall medal award presentation June 30th, 2007
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At a well attended British Astronomical Association exhibition meeting in the National Science Centre at Leicester on Saturday, June 30th 2007, Peter Wise (pictured right with BAA President Richard Miles) received the Association's prestigious Horace Dall medal. According to the BAA: "The award shall be made to a person, whether or not a member of the Association, who has shown marked ability in the making of astronomical instruments." The exhibition meeting was open to the general public as well as all BAA members. |  |