Anybody interested in a large sort-of antique refractor?

For those who are interested in such things - the University of Alabama
is disposing of its 10-inch Fecker refractor (vintage 1950). This
will be going up for bids. Details on the telescope may be seen at
http://www.astr.ua.edu/keel/telescopes/ua10inch.html
Interested parties can get details on the bid process from Ron Buta,
.

Not that we're getting out of the business - there is a brand new
research-grade 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien on the way and we need
to clear off the pier position...

Bill Keel

William C. Keel wrote:
For those who are interested in such things - the University of Alabama
is disposing of its 10-inch Fecker refractor (vintage 1950). This
will be going up for bids. Details on the telescope may be seen at
http://www.astr.ua.edu/keel/telescopes/ua10inch.html
Interested parties can get details on the bid process from Ron Buta,
.

Not that we're getting out of the business - there is a brand new
research-grade 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien on the way and we need
to clear off the pier position...

From the site:
"The other lenses including the object lens were saved and sent for safe
keeping to the Lunatic Asylum."

Does that mean the objective is already somewhere around sci.astro.amateur?



Somehow it feels wrong for U Alabama to be dumping a fine historic
instrument. Doesn't the campus have a Science Studies or Science History
department that could house the instrument? From the photos, while a
1950s era instrument, the construction is classical early 1900s, and as
such would illustrate historical construction and design techniques
quite well for not just the above but also many disciplines in the
Engineering Department.

Oh well, it won't be missed until it's gone; and then it's too late.

lal_truckee wrote in message ...

Oh well, it won't be missed until it's gone; and then it's too late.

I'm sure somebody can afford to buy it for their drawing room.
Contractors can polish it up like new. Bit of gold plating here and
there to save the domestic's time cleaning the brass. Then all the
proud owner needs is to get TMB to knock up a matching focal length
triplet to improve the view....of the beach! ;-

Chris.B

Want one!

lal_truckee wrote:
William C. Keel wrote:
For those who are interested in such things - the University of Alabama
is disposing of its 10-inch Fecker refractor (vintage 1950). This
will be going up for bids. Details on the telescope may be seen at
http://www.astr.ua.edu/keel/telescopes/ua10inch.html
Interested parties can get details on the bid process from Ron Buta,
.

Not that we're getting out of the business - there is a brand new
research-grade 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien on the way and we need
to clear off the pier position...

From the site:
"The other lenses including the object lens were saved and sent for safe
keeping to the Lunatic Asylum."

Does that mean the objective is already somewhere around sci.astro.amateur?

That refers to our original telescope, an 8" from Troughton and Simms,
vintage 1850. The objective was hidden at the asylum while the
campus was bekng burnbed byu the Union Army, and finally vanishes from
the record around 1908. Gene Byrd found some evidence to suggest that
a prominent amateur and author ended up with them, identity withheld
out of respect for the deceased.


Somehow it feels wrong for U Alabama to be dumping a fine historic
instrument. Doesn't the campus have a Science Studies or Science History
department that could house the instrument? From the photos, while a
1950s era instrument, the construction is classical early 1900s, and as
such would illustrate historical construction and design techniques
quite well for not just the above but also many disciplines in the
Engineering Department.

It is indeed 19th-century construction. We don't have a department
interested in it (else it would be there already). We've gone around
and around here about this; there is considerable grumbling about
even storage space while awaiting disposal. Probably because the
upkeep for even public-viewing use has become a big enough
deal that some folks are just tired of seeing it. As it is,
at least one of our small number of astronomers is making a point
of being totally uninvolved with the replacement tasks...

Bill Keel