Dr Way's Telescope

[Ian Robinson]

In the 40s, 50s and 60s the biggest telescope the local area was owned by the dental surgeon Dr Way who lived just over the hill from my home and had an observatory just off Maitland Road in Mayfield West.

Doctor Way died in the early 1970s after a long period of illness and not long after , and shortly after the formation of the Astronomical Society of the Hunter this telescope was offered to the club if the club wanted it but this was declined.

I believe the observatory and telescope (which was on a massive GEM) ultimately left the area or was dismantled and scrapped (not sure which).

Anyone know what became of this instrument ?

[Dog Star]

Damn! That's a sad story Ian.
If only lost opportunities from the past could be redeemed for todays experiences!:sadeyes:
But I guess, "If frogs had wings, they wouldn't bump their arses when they landed.":)
Pity though!

[Ian Robinson]

My mentor - Irene Towers - knew the old guy , I never saw the telescope but believe from what she told me it was a massive newtonian.

A core of original members including mywelf were far from impressed with the ASH's committee's decision at the time which was made without reference to members.

Maybe someone knows what became of this heritage instrument if it wasn't broken up and scrapped when Way's estate was settled.

[Wavytone]

In the 50's ASNSW had a 16" f/7 newtonian on a massive permanent mount at Belfield in southwest Sydney. There was a twin mirror made at the same time as the ASNSW one though I don't know where that went. During the construction of the observatory at Mt Bowen in the early '80's we discovered the remains of the former scope lying in a paddock, and retrieved what we could. The only useful bits were the mirror (thin plate) and the mirror cell which was galvanised steel, and nicely made. The rest was useless.

Looking over the remains, the main reason the mounts of that era were so huge was the components were quite crude - a 24" diameter worm wheel machined in bronze with maybe 3-5 teeth per inch, an equally massive steel (and badly corroded) worm, mounting components that were cut from plate and welded together. It was best described as "agricultural" - about the level of what a farmer could knock together in a shed with a lathe and a welder. It might have been able to track adequately for visual use - but not reliably nor accurately.

Also, don't forget - there was no computer-controlled milling in those days and accurately machining small one-off parts was a nightmare.

So quite frankly don't fret - even if that old scope was still lying around somewhere the only part that could conceivably be useful these days would be the mirror.

[Ian Robinson]

My recallection is that Dr.Way spared no expense on his pride and joy (the telescope and his observatory) and was a highly respected planet observer when he was active before health prevented this.

Would be nice to know if the telescope went to a good home somewhere.