Fuertes Observatory
Encyclopedia
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 throughout the year.
The observatory
is named after Estevan Fuertes.
The observatory
contains a 12-inch refracting telescope
with a mechanical clock drive, which is powered by weights in a manner similar to a grandfather clock. The drive is stable enough to allow the production of photographs of up to 20 minute duration without star trailing.
Cornell North Campus
North Campus is a residential section of Cornell University's Ithaca, New York campus. It primarily houses freshmen. North Campus offers programs which ease the transition into college life for incoming freshman. The campus offers interactions with faculty and other programs which are designed to...
of Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The 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...
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
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...
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 throughout the year.
The 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...
is named after Estevan Fuertes.
Telescopes
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...
contains a 12-inch refracting telescope
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
with a mechanical clock drive, which is powered by weights in a manner similar to a grandfather clock. The drive is stable enough to allow the production of photographs of up to 20 minute duration without star trailing.
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