|
Member
Facilities
On foundation,
the Society 'inherited' the use of three historic telescopes:
The
Baker Great Equatorial Telescope
This 65cm (26-inch)
Newtonian reflector was at one time the largest Newtonian reflector telescope
outside of Mount Stromlo. The Great Equatorial
was built at the Observatory in 1886 by Captain Henry Baker. |
The
Oddie Telescope
- a 20cm (8-inch)
Newtonian, dating from 1909. |
 |
The
Jelbart Telescope
A 12.5cm (5-inch)
brass refractor with a 187.5cm (75-inch) focal length, the Jelbart
was donated in 1918.
|
The
Federation Telescope
A 410 mm reflecting
telescope with classical Cassegrain configuration, and has an effective
focal length of 6.6 meters. The inclusion of two additional optical flat
mirrors mounted at the intersection of the axes of rotation of the mounting
provides for a stationary eyepiece.
This feature
and its ground level siting means that anyone, including the elderly and
wheel-chair users, can easily and comfortably observe the wonders of the
cosmos. |
|
Telescope with
designer Barry Adcock
(ASV, BAS),
who led a team in its construction. |
|
| This
project was made possible by a Commonwealth Federation Community Projects
Program Grant, together with widespread and strong support from BAS volunteers
and the Ballarat Community. |
 |
Other Telescopes
Celestron
Schmidt-Cassegrain
This 35cm (14-inch)
telescope was acquired by the Society in 1979
The
Thompson
 |
In May 1998,
the Society completed a 31.5cm (12.5-inch) Newtonian reflector,
which was left unfinished by Ian Thompson. As well as his passion for Astronomy
and the Ballaarat Observatory, Ian was a keen supporter of the Collingwood
Football Club - the telescope has been finished in Collingwood's "Black
and White." |
| In
1997, a 25cm (10-inch) portable reflector was donated to the Society
by the parents of the late Ian Thompson, a hard-working and dedicated Society
member for 28 years. |
Suitably
qualified
members may operate any of these instruments.
In addition,
the Society has two portable telescopes which may be borrowed
by
members for a month at a time, for use at home. These are a 10cm
(4-inch) and a 15cm (6-inch) reflectors.
Also available
is "Pipehenge", a steel structure used
for 'Daylight Astronomy'. Presented to the Observatory by its designer
Eric Jackson, after the 1992 Scout Jamboree in Ballarat, this "sundial,
calendar, observatory and climbing frame" can be used to explain the apparent
movement of the sun across the sky, the seasons, rotation of the Earth
about the poles, etc.
There is also
a reference library from which members may borrow books and magazines.
The Society also boasts computer and video facilities, with
a good range of astronomical software and videos.
|
