November Meeting

A progress report on a major telescope restoration for a new public observatory in Brooklyn, NY

Join us for Skyscrapers' November Monthly Meeting at Seagrave Memorial Observatory

Saturday, November 1, 2025

Featuring Alan Sliski

Social hour at 6:30pm, Presentation at 7:00pm

Observing at 8:00pm, weather permitting

Time: Nov 1, 2025 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Meeting ID: 817 0629 1538
Passcode: 335062

Join instructions
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A progress report on a major telescope restoration for a new public observatory in Brooklyn, NY

A civic group in New York called Pioneer Works is planning a new public observatory.  Adopting the “go big or go home” principle for telescopes, they purchased an 1895 antique 12.5 inch refractor made by Warner and Swasey with a Brashear objective.  I was asked go fetch the telescope from Ohio and restore it to at least its former glory.  I will describe the disassembly and transport of the telescope and the cleaning and refinishing process for the 3 tons of telescope parts.  A few parts are missing and some need to made new from scratch.  The original mechanical clock drive disappeared for about 40 years and will be restored and put back in the telescope working.  The presentation will go into more detail about the clock drive.

Alan Sliski has a background in physics, electronics, mechanics and many other things.  By day, he designs radiation therapy equipment for treating cancer.  At other times, he restores old telescopes for himself and others.  Recent projects include the 1852 Alvan Clark at Williams College, the 15 inch Merz and Mahler 15 inch Great Refractor at Harvard, a 1925 Zeiss 120mm Alt-Az refractor and a 9.5 inch Warner and Swasey equatorial as well as some quite modern observatories and telescopes.