|
The 6" F/18 Cooke refractor that once belonged to the late Peter Reed. When Peter died in 1981 I was 2 years old, but when comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 was to crash into Jupiter in July 1994 I got to operate this amazing telescope during the public viewing sessions at Carter Observatory (it became the first scope I ever learnt to use).
Back then it was painted in an ugly coat of beige paint, but the old clock drive still worked perfectly. It has since been restored back to it's original brass and black paint by Gordon Hudson.
There is still enough false colour even at F/18 that Alberio can look blue and pink to me. It is a superb instrument for observing the planets and while it weighs an ungodly amount, and is bulky and cumbersome by modern standards, it is a truly beautiful instrument to both look at and use. I feel truly honoured to have had so many wonderful occasions both using the scope and showing the public through it.
Cam
|