Hector J Robinson Observatory
Encyclopedia
The Hector J. Robinson Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Lincoln Park, Michigan
. It houses a 14 inches (355.6 mm) Celestron SCT. It went back into operation in September 2009. First light
ceremonies happened in early September.
The project would be among the most lengthy and difficult ever undertaken by area students. The first several months were filled with long, tedious hours of work and planning. The students were enthusiastic and looked forward to the successful completion of each phase of the project.
Word of the operation spread, and soon there were enough donations from students, teachers and many others to purchase two large 12.5 inches (317.5 mm) pieces of Pyrex
glass (the mirror blank and the tool), each 2+1/8 in thick and weighing 28 pounds (12.7 kg).
Many crews of students worked long hours grinding the mirror with various grades of carborundum, and tediously testing and polishing to achieve just the right parabolic curve so necessary for a good mirror. After being coated with reflective aluminum, the mirror was finally finished, but the work was only beginning.
Under Robinson's patient guidance, the students obtained a 9 feet (2.7 m) tube, 16 inches (40.6 cm) in diameter, which, after being painted black inside and out, was to house at one end the completed mirror. A "spider" with its diagonal mirror, and a rack-and-pinion
focusing device with eyepiece were then purchased and assembled.
With the addition of a cradle and equatorial mount
, the telescope was now complete. But this fine instrument did not become the heart of a real observatory until 1964, when the Board of Education
authorized the construction of a suitable building. Before this, the telescope was stored on end in Robinson's science classroom, and on clear evenings, it was carefully carried outside and mounted on a stand.
The footings for the observatory were poured in early 1964. A cement block cylindrical wall, 14 feet (4.3 m) in diameter and 8 feet (2.4 m) high with a central piling was erected. The whole structure was then topped off with a rotating metal dome and retractable shutter.
This most lengthy and difficult project was now completed. There followed two exciting and productive years with the observatory in full use limited only by the weather. Portable telescopes were frequently massed around the observatory for large group showings of the moon, planets, and galaxies.
After Robinson's retirement in 1966, interest in the operation waned. In 1970, after several years of infrequent use, the observatory found itself the center of attention once more. Students and several educators decided to renovate the observatory. Slowly, but surely, the facility was repaired and improved.
Then, in 1971, a club of many students formed for the purpose of using the observatory and to further their knowledge of astronomy. The following four years were to prove most productive. New eyepieces were obtained, as well as other needed equipment. Since the formation of the Astronomy Club
, the telescope has been in frequent use.
In the summer of 1975, the telescope mirror, already quite fair, was improved to perfection (one tenth wavelength) by a process of re-figuring and re-aluminumizing; and vastly improved viewing was realized.
In the fall of 1975, the Astronomy Club was delighted to accept the gift of a fine 35mm SLR camera
, and began to experiment with astrophotography
with the moon and Jupiter the first "subjects".
The future plans for the Observatory and the Club are many. "Augmenting the existing eyepieces with new ones is planned, as well as obtaining more photographic equipment. Further improvements in the telescope mounting and acquisition of a clock-drive system will help to realize the full, tremendous potential of the telescope. Expansion of the Club membership is also planned, as well as the possibility of fabricating new telescopes."
"The Hector J. Robinson Observatory is truly an invaluable asset to the school system and community, and the telescope it houses is one of the finest to be found. The foresight and diligence of Hector Robinson and his students of 1961–64 has produced a history and a future filled with the pleasures of accomplishment and the thrill of discovery, which are immense beyond measure.
The observatory at that time had a plaque with the name installed on the inside wall. This plaque reads 1964. A re-dedication plaque also existed with 1975 listed on it. Although the 1964 plaque was mounted with the construction date, the observatory was not officially named after Robinson until 1975 by the Lincoln Park School Board. A dedication name resolution
reprint is found in the dedication flyer. A description of the telescope and how it works was also in the program. The dedication program was written by Ron Greenough.
In the school years
of 1974–1977, Greg Knekleian was a member of the Astronomy Club. Greg Knekleian was the president of the club, which was based in Huff Jr. High in 1976–77. During that time the club members built three telescopes to learn about telescope building, have a project to work on during the daylight hours; and have a rich field instrument to augment the narrow field of view
of the main 12.5 inches (317.5 mm) telescope mounted inside the observatory. The club sponsor at that time was Bruce Coultas, an 8th grade
principal at Huff Jr. High in Lincoln Park Michigan.
Mr. Coultas purchased the necessary parts to construct his own 10 inches (254 mm) Newtonian F5 reflector. The optical expert who became a sponsor and curator for the observatory was Mike Manyak of Wyandotte Michigan. Mike was a member of the Detroit Astronomical Society. With the help of Manyak, the club members were able to produce three telescopes. The club performed the most work on their own 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian, which was the second scope to be built at that time. Both the 10 inches (254 mm) and 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian reflectors were F5 in focal length
. They both had simple pipe mounts. The main mirrors were both ground from mirror kits by the club. Actual final figuring of the parabolic curves was performed by Mike Manyak, as the mirrors had a Turned Down Edge problem. TDE (turned down edge) is a problem that plagues mirror builders, especially beginners and often experienced builders as well.
The first and second telescopes built during the 1977 time period had fiberglass tubes, which the club fiber glassed and sanded, then painted. They were both powder blue
. The third small telescope
had a simple painted cardboard tube and was very lightweight.
The third telescope was a small 4+1/4 in F4 reflector, which was the student president's personal telescope. This optically patterned after an Edmund Astroscan 2000 sold at the time. This last mirror was primarily ground and polished without help from the club, by the student, but Mr. Manyak did the final finishing and testing using a Foucault tester in Wyandotte Michigan.
The 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian was housed in the observatory with the main 12+1/2 in telescope in 1977 when it was built. There is an article in the local Mellus Newspaper, which shows some of the club members "polishing" the mirror for the 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian. (Image to follow later.) At that time, the club had the most members on record. With 35 members at its peak. But only 1/3 of them were active, many having other pursuits and clubs to attend.
The club perhaps remained active for only a few more years. Huff Jr. High school was torn down. A flat field existed there for some years, before a middle school was built again. The observatory and football field
remained next to the old Huff School site, still adjacent to Lincoln Park High school.
Mike Manyak was the curator and still opened up the observatory for a time. It stayed in use until perhaps 1980 or 1981 according to the account of one nearby neighbor. Mike Manyak was involved with astronomy until he died in 1998.
The observatory then went into a dormant period after 1982. Bruce Coultas died and without a middle school club, there was little interest in the observatory. During the 1970s, those in high school were not interested for the most part in the observatory or club and viewed it as a "Jr. High" club or interest. In the 1970s: 9th graders attended the Jr. High and only 10th, 11th and 12th graders attended the Lincoln Park High School. It's difficult to say when the observatory was last used or finally locked up. Actual physically work in restoring the observatory began in late 2008.
Both telescopes sat in the observatory unused, for years up until 2008. In 2001 Dr. Timothy Dey learned about the observatory and first surveyed the site. He dreamed and worked toward a plan to restore the observatory. Being an amateur astronomer
himself and living in Lincoln Park, he sought out a means to reactivate the observatory and bring it back into use. Leo Macmaster, an 8th grade science teacher and Dr. Dey worked together wrote a grant application for funds to revitalize the observatory. They won a grant from Toshiba Incorporated. The grant initially larger, was reduced from its initial award due to the economic downturn
of 2008. The observatory was found to still house the original telescope and the 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian reflector
, but many starlings over the years had nested in the observatory and many bird droppings coated the mirrors of both instruments. The observatory had to be fixed up and the older instruments removed. Parts of the original scaffolding used to climb up and view through the old 12 inches (304.8 mm) Newtonian were used as a part of a raised floor. Viewers no longer have to climb a large wooden scaffold to peer through an eyepiece 9 feet (2.7 m) off the floor. The SCT telescope has an eyepiece at the back of the telescope.
The reflective surface of the 12 inches (304.8 mm) was missing aluminum finish. The 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian had the same problems, with the acid from the bird droppings etching the previously fine surface of both mirrors. The Ford Amateur Astronomy Club (located in Dearborn Michigan) helped lead the way with their Astronomical expertise. Joseph Griggs construction company, led by Lions Club member J. R. Griggs helped much in building restoration and construction of a new raised floor, wiring, cleanup and painting. Joseph Griggs was a member of Hector J Robinson's class back in the 1960s and actually worked on the mirror with many other students when the first telescope was being built. So old students were returning and volunteering to help restore the new observatory. There was even help from the mayor of Lincoln Park who helped find resources to help us get a cement path to the observatory.
The new telescope has been installed and the observatory is now operational since September 2009. The old telescope was removed. At the time of this writing, it's unclear what will happen with the 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian built in 1977, it may be reconditioned eventually and was scrapped but recovered from the scrapyard destination by an old Jr. High club member.
The new main telescope mounted in the observatory is a Celestron C-14. It has computer control, go to, and tracking capability as well as astrophotography capability. The observatory will also have a WIFI hookup and many other updates are planned. One goal is to eventually allow the observatory to be linked into a remote control
network that allows children from other schools to observe through it over the internet. A network of schools uses this type of internet link up to share telescopes and allow day viewing using telescopes linked in on the other side of the world, in a night time
environment.
(1977) - removed, may be fixed up again, but not currently in use.
Current Celestron
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
(2009) - installed, to be in use September 2009.
Lincoln Park, Michigan
Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It lies in an area of cities and communities known as Downriver. The population was 38,144 at the 2010 census . The settlement was organized as a village in 1921, and reorganized as a city in 1925. The area was originally home to...
. It houses a 14 inches (355.6 mm) Celestron SCT. It went back into operation in September 2009. First light
First light
In astronomy, first light is the first use of a telescope to take an astronomical image after it has been constructed. This is often not the first viewing using the telescope; optical tests have likely already been performed during daylight to adjust the components...
ceremonies happened in early September.
History
In 1961, after Hector Robinson's science classes had built several small telescopes, the idea arose to construct a complete, much larger instrument, which when completed, would prove to be among the largest and finest available to pre-college students anywhere.The project would be among the most lengthy and difficult ever undertaken by area students. The first several months were filled with long, tedious hours of work and planning. The students were enthusiastic and looked forward to the successful completion of each phase of the project.
Word of the operation spread, and soon there were enough donations from students, teachers and many others to purchase two large 12.5 inches (317.5 mm) pieces of Pyrex
Pyrex
Pyrex is a brand name for glassware, introduced by Corning Incorporated in 1915.Originally, Pyrex was made from borosilicate glass. In the 1940s the composition was changed for some products to tempered soda-lime glass, which is the most common form of glass used in glass bakeware in the US and has...
glass (the mirror blank and the tool), each 2+1/8 in thick and weighing 28 pounds (12.7 kg).
Many crews of students worked long hours grinding the mirror with various grades of carborundum, and tediously testing and polishing to achieve just the right parabolic curve so necessary for a good mirror. After being coated with reflective aluminum, the mirror was finally finished, but the work was only beginning.
Under Robinson's patient guidance, the students obtained a 9 feet (2.7 m) tube, 16 inches (40.6 cm) in diameter, which, after being painted black inside and out, was to house at one end the completed mirror. A "spider" with its diagonal mirror, and a rack-and-pinion
Rack and pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move, thereby...
focusing device with eyepiece were then purchased and assembled.
With the addition of a cradle and equatorial mount
Equatorial mount
An equatorial mount is a mount for instruments that follows the rotation of the sky by having one rotational axis parallel to the Earth's axis of rotation. This type of mount is used for astronomical telescopes and cameras...
, the telescope was now complete. But this fine instrument did not become the heart of a real observatory until 1964, when the Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
authorized the construction of a suitable building. Before this, the telescope was stored on end in Robinson's science classroom, and on clear evenings, it was carefully carried outside and mounted on a stand.
The footings for the observatory were poured in early 1964. A cement block cylindrical wall, 14 feet (4.3 m) in diameter and 8 feet (2.4 m) high with a central piling was erected. The whole structure was then topped off with a rotating metal dome and retractable shutter.
This most lengthy and difficult project was now completed. There followed two exciting and productive years with the observatory in full use limited only by the weather. Portable telescopes were frequently massed around the observatory for large group showings of the moon, planets, and galaxies.
After Robinson's retirement in 1966, interest in the operation waned. In 1970, after several years of infrequent use, the observatory found itself the center of attention once more. Students and several educators decided to renovate the observatory. Slowly, but surely, the facility was repaired and improved.
Then, in 1971, a club of many students formed for the purpose of using the observatory and to further their knowledge of astronomy. The following four years were to prove most productive. New eyepieces were obtained, as well as other needed equipment. Since the formation of the Astronomy Club
Astronomical society
There are numerous groups devoted to promoting astronomy research and education. See, for example:* Amateur Astronomers Association Delhi * Amateur Astronomers Association of New York * Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh...
, the telescope has been in frequent use.
In the summer of 1975, the telescope mirror, already quite fair, was improved to perfection (one tenth wavelength) by a process of re-figuring and re-aluminumizing; and vastly improved viewing was realized.
In the fall of 1975, the Astronomy Club was delighted to accept the gift of a fine 35mm SLR camera
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
, and began to experiment with astrophotography
Astrophotography
Astrophotography is a specialized type of photography that entails recording images of astronomical objects and large areas of the night sky. The first photographs of an astronomical object were taken in the 1840s, but it was not until the late 19th century that advances in technology allowed for...
with the moon and Jupiter the first "subjects".
The future plans for the Observatory and the Club are many. "Augmenting the existing eyepieces with new ones is planned, as well as obtaining more photographic equipment. Further improvements in the telescope mounting and acquisition of a clock-drive system will help to realize the full, tremendous potential of the telescope. Expansion of the Club membership is also planned, as well as the possibility of fabricating new telescopes."
"The Hector J. Robinson Observatory is truly an invaluable asset to the school system and community, and the telescope it houses is one of the finest to be found. The foresight and diligence of Hector Robinson and his students of 1961–64 has produced a history and a future filled with the pleasures of accomplishment and the thrill of discovery, which are immense beyond measure.
The observatory at that time had a plaque with the name installed on the inside wall. This plaque reads 1964. A re-dedication plaque also existed with 1975 listed on it. Although the 1964 plaque was mounted with the construction date, the observatory was not officially named after Robinson until 1975 by the Lincoln Park School Board. A dedication name resolution
Name resolution
-In computer languages:Expressions in computer languages can contain identifiers. The semantics of such expressions depend on the entities that the identifiers refer to. The algorithm that determines what an identifier in a given context refers to is part of the language definition.The complexity...
reprint is found in the dedication flyer. A description of the telescope and how it works was also in the program. The dedication program was written by Ron Greenough.
In the school years
Academic term
An academic term is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. These divisions may be called terms...
of 1974–1977, Greg Knekleian was a member of the Astronomy Club. Greg Knekleian was the president of the club, which was based in Huff Jr. High in 1976–77. During that time the club members built three telescopes to learn about telescope building, have a project to work on during the daylight hours; and have a rich field instrument to augment the narrow field of view
Field of view
The field of view is the extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment....
of the main 12.5 inches (317.5 mm) telescope mounted inside the observatory. The club sponsor at that time was Bruce Coultas, an 8th grade
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
principal at Huff Jr. High in Lincoln Park Michigan.
Mr. Coultas purchased the necessary parts to construct his own 10 inches (254 mm) Newtonian F5 reflector. The optical expert who became a sponsor and curator for the observatory was Mike Manyak of Wyandotte Michigan. Mike was a member of the Detroit Astronomical Society. With the help of Manyak, the club members were able to produce three telescopes. The club performed the most work on their own 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian, which was the second scope to be built at that time. Both the 10 inches (254 mm) and 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian reflectors were F5 in focal length
Focal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...
. They both had simple pipe mounts. The main mirrors were both ground from mirror kits by the club. Actual final figuring of the parabolic curves was performed by Mike Manyak, as the mirrors had a Turned Down Edge problem. TDE (turned down edge) is a problem that plagues mirror builders, especially beginners and often experienced builders as well.
The first and second telescopes built during the 1977 time period had fiberglass tubes, which the club fiber glassed and sanded, then painted. They were both powder blue
Powder blue
Powder blue may refer to two different colors.The paler variant is often associated with powder snow.-Powder blue :The web color powder blue is shown on the right....
. The third small telescope
Small telescope
A small telescope is generally considered by professional astronomers to be any reflector type telescope with a primary mirror of less than 2 metres diameter...
had a simple painted cardboard tube and was very lightweight.
The third telescope was a small 4+1/4 in F4 reflector, which was the student president's personal telescope. This optically patterned after an Edmund Astroscan 2000 sold at the time. This last mirror was primarily ground and polished without help from the club, by the student, but Mr. Manyak did the final finishing and testing using a Foucault tester in Wyandotte Michigan.
The 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian was housed in the observatory with the main 12+1/2 in telescope in 1977 when it was built. There is an article in the local Mellus Newspaper, which shows some of the club members "polishing" the mirror for the 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian. (Image to follow later.) At that time, the club had the most members on record. With 35 members at its peak. But only 1/3 of them were active, many having other pursuits and clubs to attend.
The club perhaps remained active for only a few more years. Huff Jr. High school was torn down. A flat field existed there for some years, before a middle school was built again. The observatory and football field
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
remained next to the old Huff School site, still adjacent to Lincoln Park High school.
Mike Manyak was the curator and still opened up the observatory for a time. It stayed in use until perhaps 1980 or 1981 according to the account of one nearby neighbor. Mike Manyak was involved with astronomy until he died in 1998.
The observatory then went into a dormant period after 1982. Bruce Coultas died and without a middle school club, there was little interest in the observatory. During the 1970s, those in high school were not interested for the most part in the observatory or club and viewed it as a "Jr. High" club or interest. In the 1970s: 9th graders attended the Jr. High and only 10th, 11th and 12th graders attended the Lincoln Park High School. It's difficult to say when the observatory was last used or finally locked up. Actual physically work in restoring the observatory began in late 2008.
Both telescopes sat in the observatory unused, for years up until 2008. In 2001 Dr. Timothy Dey learned about the observatory and first surveyed the site. He dreamed and worked toward a plan to restore the observatory. Being an amateur astronomer
Amateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...
himself and living in Lincoln Park, he sought out a means to reactivate the observatory and bring it back into use. Leo Macmaster, an 8th grade science teacher and Dr. Dey worked together wrote a grant application for funds to revitalize the observatory. They won a grant from Toshiba Incorporated. The grant initially larger, was reduced from its initial award due to the economic downturn
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
of 2008. The observatory was found to still house the original telescope and the 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian reflector
Newtonian telescope
The Newtonian telescope is a type of reflecting telescope invented by the British scientist Sir Isaac Newton , using a concave primary mirror and a flat diagonal secondary mirror. Newton’s first reflecting telescope was completed in 1668 and is the earliest known functional reflecting telescope...
, but many starlings over the years had nested in the observatory and many bird droppings coated the mirrors of both instruments. The observatory had to be fixed up and the older instruments removed. Parts of the original scaffolding used to climb up and view through the old 12 inches (304.8 mm) Newtonian were used as a part of a raised floor. Viewers no longer have to climb a large wooden scaffold to peer through an eyepiece 9 feet (2.7 m) off the floor. The SCT telescope has an eyepiece at the back of the telescope.
The reflective surface of the 12 inches (304.8 mm) was missing aluminum finish. The 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian had the same problems, with the acid from the bird droppings etching the previously fine surface of both mirrors. The Ford Amateur Astronomy Club (located in Dearborn Michigan) helped lead the way with their Astronomical expertise. Joseph Griggs construction company, led by Lions Club member J. R. Griggs helped much in building restoration and construction of a new raised floor, wiring, cleanup and painting. Joseph Griggs was a member of Hector J Robinson's class back in the 1960s and actually worked on the mirror with many other students when the first telescope was being built. So old students were returning and volunteering to help restore the new observatory. There was even help from the mayor of Lincoln Park who helped find resources to help us get a cement path to the observatory.
The new telescope has been installed and the observatory is now operational since September 2009. The old telescope was removed. At the time of this writing, it's unclear what will happen with the 8 inches (203.2 mm) Newtonian built in 1977, it may be reconditioned eventually and was scrapped but recovered from the scrapyard destination by an old Jr. High club member.
The new main telescope mounted in the observatory is a Celestron C-14. It has computer control, go to, and tracking capability as well as astrophotography capability. The observatory will also have a WIFI hookup and many other updates are planned. One goal is to eventually allow the observatory to be linked into a remote control
Remote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
network that allows children from other schools to observe through it over the internet. A network of schools uses this type of internet link up to share telescopes and allow day viewing using telescopes linked in on the other side of the world, in a night time
Night
Night or nighttime is the period of time when the sun is below the horizon. This occurs after dusk. The opposite of night is day...
environment.
Telescopes
Past telescope (1964) - retired, to be put into the museum. Newtonian reflectorNewtonian telescope
The Newtonian telescope is a type of reflecting telescope invented by the British scientist Sir Isaac Newton , using a concave primary mirror and a flat diagonal secondary mirror. Newton’s first reflecting telescope was completed in 1668 and is the earliest known functional reflecting telescope...
(1977) - removed, may be fixed up again, but not currently in use.
Current Celestron
Celestron
Celestron is a company that manufactures and imports telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, microscopes, and accessories for their products.-Origins and History:...
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope
The Schmidt–Cassegrain is a catadioptric telescope that combines a cassegrain reflector's optical path with a Schmidt corrector plate to make a compact astronomical instrument that uses simple spherical surfaces.-Invention and design:...
(2009) - installed, to be in use September 2009.
- Lunt 35mm Solar Scope (a special scope to view the sun) - mounted on C-14
- 80mm F7 Meade APO refractor - mounted on C-14
- Link for New Telescope Installation photo—August 2009 []