Fuertes Observatory

Fuertes Observatory is an observatory located on the North Campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The observatory was completed in fall of 1917 and was originally used by the Civil Engineering Department as an instructional field office for navigation and surveying. With increased building on the North Campus, Fuertes Observatory is no longer used for research but it still used for introductory Astronomy classes usually taught by grad students.

Day to day maintenance of the observatory is handled by the Cornell Astronomical Society, a group of Cornell undergraduates, graduates and Ithaca citizens. The Society offers public viewing nights on Friday evenings when classes are in session.

The observatory is named after Estevan Fuertes.

Telescopes

The observatory contains a 12-inch refracting telescope with a mechanical clock drive operated by weights just like a grandfather clock. The drive is stable enough to allow the production of photographs of up to 20 minute duration without star trailing.

Nearby Observatories

*Clinton B. Ford Observatory, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York
*Hartung-Boothroyd Observatory, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
*Kopernik Space Education Center, Vestal, New York

External links

* [http://www.astro.cornell.edu/facilities/fuertes/index.php Fuertes Observatory Web Site]

See also

*List of astronomical observatories

References

* "Fuertes Observatory," Cornell Department of Astronomy.