The Edinboro University Observatory is located on the third floor of the Cooper Science Hall. Our 16 inch Celestron Schmidt Telescope is retrofited with Kara Technology stepper motors on both the right ascension and declination axes. The entire system is computer controlled with a graphically oriented program for acquisition in the slewing mode, tracking, guiding and many other utility functions. There is a database of more than 2000 objects in the automatic seeting mode. The system automatically acquires the Sun, the Moon and the planets by continuously calculating their positions. The software also provides a variety of display screens, showing Universal Time, Sideral Time, Solar Time and Eastern Standard time. The screen also displays the right ascension, declination, altitude and azimuth of the object being observed. Since its initial installation in 1986, the computerized system has undergone three upgrades to accommodate new software. The soon to be acquired software update will allow for acquisition of objects by either double clicking via a mouse control on a star map via the computer screen. Programmed observing sessions can acquire a sequence of objects, which are automatically acquired by interactive keyboard or mouse activity in order of the most western to the most eastern object.
Plans are currently under way to purchase a CCD to accompany the system.
Two refracting telescopes, a Unitron 4 inch and Genesis 4 inch ride piggy back on the system. They are both provided with a Day Star Solar Filter for solar observing. The Genesis system is mounted on a free rotating lockable pivot mount, so as to have independent pointing capability, which in turn can also be used for guiding if needed.
In addition an outside mounted 8 inch Heliostat provides a direct beam of sunlight directed to an optical bench, which in turn supports small refracting telescope elements. This allows for a direct projection of a large white light solar image at either f/20 or f/30 on a large white screen mounted on an inside wall. Various devices, such as spectrographs and filters can be mounted for use on the optical bench.
The observatory complex includes about 2000 square feet with a variety of poster displays (we own approximately 200 posters).
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