About The Observatory

Our History

The observatory was started by Clive Purchase in 1998 to prepare for the Cornish eclipse in 99. This was very successful apart from the cloud.

Following the eclipse, Clive moved the bulk of the equipment to form the Callington  Space Centre and Brian Sheen relocated the observatory to its Court Farm. 

For the first year or two we operated mostly during the summer holidays and it soon became apparent that a large number of the visitors appreciated the opportunity to learn about the night sky and to look through the telescopes.

  In 2005 we replaced the outer walls of the Activity Room and decorated the inside. We also supported Eurojam at Chelmsford.

  2006 we got Broadband channeled in and with a digital projector expanded the teaching to youth groups. We set up the Solar Observatory.

  2007 saw a concentration on the World Scout Jamboree 40,000 teenagers also at Chelmsford, we organised a linkup with the International Space Station and helped with the launch of over 1000 model rockets.

  2008  We spent trying to sort out a four metre Radio Telescope assembled and preparing for the Expedition to the River Niger. A main aim of the expedition was to teach astronomy in some of the poorest countries in the world. We also established the Outreach Facility. 

  2009 We have mounted the 7" Roseland Refractor, and are working on the  micrometeorite collector. The weather station is now up and running with the wireless relay station located in the Camp Office for benefit of our visitors.

  2010 The plan is to continue our paddle of the River Niger by traveling from Bamako to Timbuktu.

 

  The equipment;-

   The solar observatory. This consists of a Bench-mounted 10" Newtonian reflector projecting on to a screen for direct viewing or to a camera for imaging. The scope is contained in a light tight module which allows access for small numbers of students. The sunlight is fed into the module by a 20" heliostat - the largest in the country. This large mirror is equatorially mounted and so can track to keep the sunlight pointing directly at the main mirror of the telescope. (The commissioning of this instrument heralded the longest period without sun spots since Maunder.)  

  Outreach Facility.  We have an observing facility with wireless broadband, sidereal clock , Celestron Sky Scout to support the fixed telescopes below.

  Weather Station. Based on a Maplin "Professional Weather Station" it measures rainfall, wind speed, temperature as well as a number of derived parameters.

  The telescopes. The biggest reflector on site is Bill's Big Un a 9" reflector with a fixed pier in a stock proof fence - this is to keep the sheep out not the visitors in. Children love climbing the ladder to look at the planets or Moon! The workhorse Scope is an 8" Orion Pulsar which can be located at various sites around the Observatory. The biggest portable refractor is a 6" Skywatcher on a proper tripod excellent for viewing planets and the Moon. We have just commissioned a 7" refractor, a part finished project from another source. There is a range of smaller scopes, which school children and visitors can use as well. 

The Binoculars;- Starting with the normal 10 X 50 pair on a small tripod we have a Celestron 15 X 70 binocular on a large tripod, excellent optics, and a Revelation 25 X 100 binocular on a giant tripod. 

 Activity Room. Has Broadband and a Digital Projector as well as a large range of science equipment. Turned into TV Studio for ITV with Louise Midgley & with the BBC - David Brain.

 Support Scopes. We have satellite observatories housing specialist equipment and a whole range of cameras of a variety of types.

  The Radio Telescope being re-commissioned also showing Paul with 4" Tak and a Radio Cornwall Reporter.

 

  Image by Robb Sidston of our Imaging team

 

Research Library; Contains about 300 specialist texts ranging in date from 18th Cent to prepublication. Plus a large number of periodicals. 

Web Site; Is updated almost every day often using images by the Observatory team.

 

 

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