There are many opportunities to make use of EUP's 16-inch telescope. (For a complete description, go to Telescope Description.) Observing is scheduled several times throughout the semester. In addition to nightime observing there are also daytime solar observations. EUP has received a new solar telescope with Camcorder and H alpha filter along with tube temperature control. This will enable us to obtain high quality H alpha images, record them and show them on the homepage. Our new 3 inch (Schot filtered) solar telescope has arrived. The telescope has been upacked and awaits assembly. The assembly will begin as soon as the video taped instructions arrive from Robert Mortimer in San Bernadino, CA. Robert made this telescope and several others.
Before you head out for a day or night of observing take a look at the
Current Weather Conditions courtesy of Dr. Kerry Moyer.
EUPs heliostat has been permantly aligned to the POLAR axis. This
allows solar observers to merely open the heliostat cover, check the latitude
angle of the main tracking mirror (which should be about 42 degrees) and
direct the solar beam through the hole into the solar lab at the re-directing
mirror. The redirecting mirror can be oriented to send the beam straight down
the optical bench. An f/30 3-inch refractor (lens made with a Schott red
filter) has a Day Star Halpha filter and video camera at the focus. The
solar image is viewed via a monitor. The chromospheric network, plages and
various other forms of solar activity are easily observed by visual inspection
of the monitor. In fact, the image quality due to the temperature control is
surpringly sharp even when the seeing is not at its best.
Images like these prominences images in June and July 1997 were captured by SNAPPY. The seeing was poor! Look for more images as the weather improves.
TWO IMAGES OF THE HELIOSTAT AND IT's COVER ARE SHOWN BELOW
The solar telescope, Halpha filter, auto-focuser and TV camera is pictured below. The little rectangular box is the fan that keeps air flowing through the telescope to improve internal seeing.
The Edinboro University 16 inch telescope and Dome appear below.
