The McGregor Observatory
- and -
The 13" f/10 Schupmann Telescope
In the late 1980's and the first half of the 1990's, the Springfield
Telescope Makers undertook a huge project - the construction of a new
roll-off-roof observatory and a 13" Schupmann telescope. This 8-year
project really taxed the club and required a huge effort. However, the
results are outstanding: The 13" Schupmann is truly a world-class telescope
and the observatory is a rugged, functional building that houses not
only the telescope, but provides space for a browsing library, the annual
mirror class and many activities during convention. These pages document
the construction, dedication and early use of this facility.
The McGregor Observatory
The McGregor Observatory in 2006 open for solar observing
The McGregor Observatory in 2006
open
for solar observing
The McGregor Observatory
Built by the Springfield Telescope Makers on top of a
south facing hill on the recently acquired Stellafane East, with "more
concrete in it than the Hoover Dam", the McGregor Observatory is the
large white building you see when entering the site. Led by John Martin,
the construction effort took over 5 years in often difficult weather
conditions.
The observatory has three major rooms: The telescope
room under the roll-off roof; the first floor warming room under the
fixed roof, and the control room on the second floor under the fixed
roof. This set of photos documents that monumental effort.
Schupmann Telescope / McGregor Observatory Dedication
By Maryann Arrien, August, 1996
The McGregor Observatory
McGregor Observatory Painting by Russ Chmela
McGregor Painting by Russ Chmela
On Saturday, July 15 1995, the town of Springfield Vermont
became home to another unique astronomical observatory.
The McGregor Observatory, as it is called, was dedicated by the Springfield
Telescope Makers to the memory of their member Douglas McGregor. It
houses a telescope which at this moment is the largest operating one
of its kind in the world. It is a 13-inch f/10 diffraction limited Schupmann
design, which combines refractive and reflective optical elements to
create an unobstructed, coma and color free image. This makes it especially
suited for observations of the planets. The optics, as well as the observatory
itself, were fashioned 'from scratch' by club members in their spare
time over an eight year period.
The McGregor Observatory
The McGregor Observatory, roof open, red Schupmann Telescope visible.
The McGregor Observatory, roof
open,
red Schupmann Telescope visible.
McGregor, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was an avid amateur
astronomer and telescope maker who was best known as Master of Ceremonies
of the Stellafane Convention up to the time of his passing in 1988.
The close knit club reacted to the sudden loss of McGregor by undertaking
this ambitious observatory project in his name. The McGregor Observatory
was designed and largely built by his close friend John Martin V of
Chester, VT. He, Charles Thayer and other members of the telescope making
club set about building the observatory structure atop a granite rise.
Meanwhile, optical designer Scott Milligan and master optician Philip
Rounseville spent countless hours of labor on the telescope. It is a
tribute not only to their Yankee ingenuity and amateur zeal that this
unique observatory was created, but largely to the inspiration of their
comrade, Doug McGregor, who loved stars and telescopes as much as anyone
ever did.
The McGregor Observatory Dedication
Cake commemorating and served at the dedication. (Photo by Dennis diCicco)
Cake commemorating and served at the dedication.
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The McGregor Observatory Dedication
Bob Morse speaks at the dedication, with honored guests and STM members to the right. (Photo by Dennis diCicco)
Bob Morse speaks at the dedication, with honored guests and STM members to the right.
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The McGregor Observatory Dedication
On a hot July day many in the crowd use umbrellas as a sun shade. (Photo by Dennis diCicco)
On a hot July day many in the crowd use umbrellas as a sun shade.
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The McGregor Observatory Dedication
Tennille and Rob McGregor cut the ribbon to open the observatory. (Photo by Dennis diCicco)
Tennille & Rob McGregor cut the ribbon to open the observatory.
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The first floor warming room in the McGregor Observatory
is home to the Stellafane Browsing Library. This article is about the
dedication of the library in 1998 to Jeanne C. Krzywicki.
The 13" f/10 Schupmann Telescope
The Springfield telescope Makers have built the world's
largest "Super-Schupmann" medial telescope. The "Super-Schupmann" is
an all spherical design that is essentially color-free, and the scope
may be user adjusted in the field to tune out any residual color due
to thermal expansion or atmospheric refraction (especially noticeable
near the horizon where the atmosphere is thickest to view through).
The following articles provide information on the creation of this outstanding
telescope.
The 13-inch f/10 Schupmann Telescope
Stellafane's 13" f/10 Schupmann in the McGregor Observatory (Photo by Maryann Arien)
Stellafane's 13" f/10 Schupmann
in the McGregor Observatory
Jim Daley, club member and Schupmann expert, provides
details about Ludwig Schupmann (1851-1920) and some of his early instruments.
If you are interested in the Schupmann telescope
design, you might want to read Jim Daley's recent book1
about the Schupmann Telescope.
Scott Milligan chronicles the 10-year odyssey that he
and Phil Rounseville had in fabricating the optics for the Stellafane
13-inch f/10 super-Schupmann. This 7-page article is great reading if
you want learn the problems and unique solutions this pair came up with
to create the superb instrument that now graces the McGregor observatory.
Some folks have questioned our claim that this is the
world's largest Schupmann. As far as we know, at the time of it's construction,
it was is the world's largest super-Schupmann, which is an all-spherical
design with perfect color correction. There were clearly Schupmanns
with larger objectives out there, but they are of the older designs
with good, but not perfect color correction. Since the writing of this
paper, Jim Daley has been working on a 14.1-inch super-Schupmann, and
by the time you read this it well may be completed, and he can claim
the title of building the world's largest super-Schupmann.
The 13-inch f/10 Schupmann Telescope
Optical Schematic of Stellafane's 13-inch f/10 Schupmann by Russ Chmela
Optical Schematic by Russ Chmela
This is fairly technical press release issued at the
dedication of the Stellafane 13-inch f/10 Schupmann Medial Telescope,
and summarizes all the key points in the all-spherical "super-Schupmann"
design.
Carl Breuning's recounts his first observations using
our Schupmann Medial Refractor.
John Martin recounts the thinking and process that went
into creation of the 7-inch binoculars used for a counter weight on
the Schupmann mount.
CCD Images
Early CCD images taken by John Martin with the Stellafane
Schupmann Refractor. John has done some work with video cameras on the
Schupmann also; see his
Astrophotography
Page for more images.
The 13-inch f/10 Schupmann Telescope
Photo of Mars through the Stellafane Schupmann by John Martin
The 13-inch f/10 Schupmann Telescope
Photo of Jupiter through the Stellafane Schupmann by John Martin
The 13-inch f/10 Schupmann Telescope
Photo of Saturn through the Stellafane Schupmann by John Martin
Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
1The Schupmann Telescope: The Story, Design, Construction
and Use of a Neglected Telescope Type
by James Daley,
200 Pages Hardbound, Willmann-Bell,
Richmond, VA, 2007 ISBN-13: 978-0-943396-59-0.
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