For a more detailed look at
conditions, including our Sky Clock, click here!
Instrumentation
The Observatory is
equipped with both manual guided and computer guided telescopes. Our
computer guided telescopes use sophisticated electronic clock drives to
quickly locate over 30,000 objects in space. From Neptune and Pluto to
Galaxies hundreds of trillions of miles away. An average observing
session of 3 hours will show you planets, moons, and several dozen deep
space objects including many of the Messier
Catalogue, the Caldwell
Catalogue and the NGC/IC Catalogue objects. We currently have three computer guided
telescopes including our main scope, a 203 mm UHTC Shmidt-Newtonian,
and an 80 mm Vixen SS. We also have a manually
guided 203mm Celestron SCT. For astrophotography we have an Olympus
DSLR
imaging camera and a Meade DSI Imager. We use high quality Plossl, OWL
and Nagler eye pieces in both 1.25 and 2 inch formats, and a Burgess
Optical Bino-viewer.
Hours of Operation
/Directions
The
Observatory is open to students and visitors by appointment
from March 21st to November 25th, weather permitting. We observe most
every clear night and can handle as many as 6 students at any one time.
Our star parties and teaching sessions are an opportunity for all of us
to enjoy astronomy and learn from each other, and When visiting the
observatory we ask that you observe the 5 rules of observing:
1. Avoid using any white or bright lights. These will impair night
vision. We have red lights for your use.
2. Please arrive no later than sunset. Driving up with your headlights
on will effectively ruin everyone's night vision for 10-20 minutes. 3.
You will be around some very valuable equipment. Please be
careful. Be sure you know how to use the telescope you are viewing
through. Please don�t ever touch the lenses and treat them
gently. 4. Always dress appropriately. You will be out in the open and
it will likely be very cold in the late evening. 5. Ask as many
questions as you want and have fun !!!
For directions to the observatory click here.
Why we do what we do
We enjoy
helping people discover the incredible beauty of the universe. We have observed with boy scouts and college
students, friends and neighbors. We have spent thousands of dollars on
state of the art telescopes and imaging equipment to ensure that
visitors to our observatory have the most enjoyable and educational
observing sessions. Many private observatories charge a fee for these
services; we do not. We believe that the universe should be available
to all who wish to see. We routinely show others such wonders as
Globular Clusters, Star Groups,
Nebula,
Planets,
Galaxies,
and
Galaxy Clusters.
Consider making a secure donation to the H. J.
Fowler Observatory.
The H.J. Fowler Observatory is now part of the
Night
Sky Network. The Night Sky
Network is a nationwide coalition of astronomy clubs bringing the
science, technology and inspiration of NASA's missions to the general
public. We share our time and telescopes to provide you with unique
astronomy experiences at science museums, observatories, classrooms,
and under the real night sky.
We are a member of the Meade 4-M Community of Teaching Observatories
We are a member Observatory of the Royal Astronomical
Society of Canada
Last update: 06:06pm EST, June 20, 2009
This site � W Sumner Davis &
Paul D. Booker 2005-2010, H. J. Fowler Observatory, Oakland, Maine USA
04963 5030
