Fox Observatory
Encyclopedia
Fox Observatory is an astronomical
observatory
owned and operated by South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association. It is located in Sunrise
, Florida
(USA).
In the late 1960s, Dr. Joseph Dennison Fox, Professor of Astronomy and History, completed his tenure at the University of Puerto Rico
, and with his wife Sylvia, retired to North Miami. He brought with him an optical tube assembly for a 6-inch f/15 refractor. This telescope, in its updated and restored state, now resides in the Fox Observatory, on the grounds of Markham Park. The lens and original tube assembly were built by Chester Brandon, renowned as a designer of eyepieces and objective lenses. (The lens was ground from special blanks made by Dow-Corning. The uniqueness of the glass and the increased air space and thickness qualified the lens for a new patent.) The mounting of the telescope is made in part from a landing gear off a World War-II, P-38 fighter.
In 1965, the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association Inc., was formed. In 1970, Dr. Fox joined, and in June 1973, he donated the Brandon refractor to the club. The refractor was to be housed in a yet-to-be-built observatory, located west of Fort Lauderdale. The new observatory would be named for Dr. Fox in recognition of his generosity and leadership.
Initial plans for the grounds, building and roof were drawn up on July 13, 1974. Broward County okayed the final architectural drawing
s on November 10, 1975, and the building permit was issued on Thursday, November 13. The observatory was officially named for Dr. Fox a week later, on the 20th.
On Sunday, March 20, 1977, at 4:30 p.m., one year behind schedule, the Fox Astronomical Observatory was dedicated. The Brandon refractor, with its P-38 mount and asbestos covered aluminum tube, was in its present position. Present at the dedication was astronomer Jack Horkheimer
--"The Starhustler.")
In 1978, a vintage, 1923, Zeiss mount became available for the 6-inch Brandon refractor through Art Smith of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium. When the new mount was installed, the P-38 mount was stored, but later lost.
Between August 1993 and July 1995, the Brandon refractor was restored by Tom Peters, a club member and restorations expert. The club voted to put the job of refurbishing the entire instrument, including the Zeiss equatorial mount, in Tom's skillful hands on August 5, 1993. Everything was dismantled, and the objective was sent to D & G Optical to be refinished. After completion of the task, Barry Greiner, of D & G, mounted the objective in a new aluminum tube, with light baffles. (The surface tested at better than 1/20 wave, measured at the surface.)
Since the opening of the observatory in 1977, more than 100,000 visitors have visited the observatory, located in Markham Park, 12 miles west of Fort Lauderdale, Florida
on SR-84, and it is available for public viewing every Saturday evening.
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
owned and operated by South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association. It is located in Sunrise
Sunrise, Florida
-Overview:Sunrise is a city in southwestern Broward County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1961 by Norman Johnson – a developer whose World Famous Upside-Down House attracted buyers to what was then a remote area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
(USA).
In the late 1960s, Dr. Joseph Dennison Fox, Professor of Astronomy and History, completed his tenure at the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
, and with his wife Sylvia, retired to North Miami. He brought with him an optical tube assembly for a 6-inch f/15 refractor. This telescope, in its updated and restored state, now resides in the Fox Observatory, on the grounds of Markham Park. The lens and original tube assembly were built by Chester Brandon, renowned as a designer of eyepieces and objective lenses. (The lens was ground from special blanks made by Dow-Corning. The uniqueness of the glass and the increased air space and thickness qualified the lens for a new patent.) The mounting of the telescope is made in part from a landing gear off a World War-II, P-38 fighter.
In 1965, the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association Inc., was formed. In 1970, Dr. Fox joined, and in June 1973, he donated the Brandon refractor to the club. The refractor was to be housed in a yet-to-be-built observatory, located west of Fort Lauderdale. The new observatory would be named for Dr. Fox in recognition of his generosity and leadership.
Initial plans for the grounds, building and roof were drawn up on July 13, 1974. Broward County okayed the final architectural drawing
Architectural drawing
An architectural drawing or architect's drawing is a technical drawing of a building that falls within the definition of architecture...
s on November 10, 1975, and the building permit was issued on Thursday, November 13. The observatory was officially named for Dr. Fox a week later, on the 20th.
On Sunday, March 20, 1977, at 4:30 p.m., one year behind schedule, the Fox Astronomical Observatory was dedicated. The Brandon refractor, with its P-38 mount and asbestos covered aluminum tube, was in its present position. Present at the dedication was astronomer Jack Horkheimer
Jack Horkheimer
Jack Horkheimer, born Foley Arthur Horkheimer , was the executive director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium. He was best known for his astronomy show Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer, which started airing on PBS on November 4, 1976.-Early life:Jack Horkheimer was born in 1938 to a wealthy family...
--"The Starhustler.")
In 1978, a vintage, 1923, Zeiss mount became available for the 6-inch Brandon refractor through Art Smith of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium. When the new mount was installed, the P-38 mount was stored, but later lost.
Between August 1993 and July 1995, the Brandon refractor was restored by Tom Peters, a club member and restorations expert. The club voted to put the job of refurbishing the entire instrument, including the Zeiss equatorial mount, in Tom's skillful hands on August 5, 1993. Everything was dismantled, and the objective was sent to D & G Optical to be refinished. After completion of the task, Barry Greiner, of D & G, mounted the objective in a new aluminum tube, with light baffles. (The surface tested at better than 1/20 wave, measured at the surface.)
Since the opening of the observatory in 1977, more than 100,000 visitors have visited the observatory, located in Markham Park, 12 miles west of Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
on SR-84, and it is available for public viewing every Saturday evening.
External links
- Fox Observatory Clear Sky Clock Forecasts of observing conditions.