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Al Paslow Astronomy Collection

Images and events of personal interest.

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This instrument was made for Jim Jacobson of Coulter Optical Co in California by famed telescope maker Richard Brandt, later known from Brandt Lens Works in Arizona.

Mr. Brandt and I worked together on various telescope projects in the mid to late 1980's. (See Sky & Telescope, July 1987 pg 70, Sept 1987, pg 315, etc.) Many years ago I traveled to The University of Florida at Gainsville to view this beautiful instrument.

Those images are shown here. The young lady in the pictures is my wife Adele.

To see the instrument as it looks today visit: http://astrho.astro.ufl.edu/AST_RHO_Home_Page.html

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Al-Paslow > This is a close up of the tailstock for the 18 inch Ritchey Cretien Reflector. This f-10.5 instrument has optics made by famous telescope maker Richard Brandt.

The story was as I was told - Coulter Optical's Jim Jacobson wanted to build an impressive optical instrument, using the best design and optics. He demanded observatory quality .

Hence the Ritchey-Cretien optical system was used. Jim wanted a special custom mount to go with it. The mount was to be stable and easy to use -- that made the fork equatorial a good choice. Starting from scratch it became a fabulous instrument!!

( Click on any image to enlarge it. )

Al-Paslow > This view provides a look at the tube assembly. The 18 inch Hyperbolic mirror is covered with a two handled cap. The long black primary baffle tube keeps sky light from "flooding out" the image, and is essential to all Cassegrain systems, of which the Ritchey-Cretien design is included .

The 4 vane secondary system is extremely ridged with virtually no flexure. Flexure in a Ritchey-Chretien system is totally unacceptable, as the alignment must be of absolute precision or this will render the optics useless.

The weight of the heavy hyperbolic secondary system has also been carefully counter-balanced by the "counter weight" protruding at the end of the spider. Wagman Observatory -Manka Telescope take note of this !!

Al-Paslow > Another view of tube assembly, now with mirror cover off.

The telescope boasts the best of everything for its time. Actually made in the 1960's or early 1970's the scope was featured in several old Coulter S & T advertisements in the 70's. But as I recall it only appeared in picture form. Perhaps almost as a trademark, with nothing to really say about it.

I don't think Jim really wanted to openly sell it but it probably got some inquires!

The telescope was eventually sold to University of Florida in 1973.

( Click on any image to enlarge it. )

Al-Paslow > The Ritchey - Cretien as it resides in a small domed observatory in a remote field miles away from the campus of the University of Florida; outside of Gainsville.

The vegetation to the site as I recall was thick but the location did feature some fairly good horizons.

My lovely wife Adele looks on.

Al-Paslow > The Fork Mount of this beautiful instrument, features a massive Polar axis, gearing and controls. The sand castings were done by my old associate Richard Brandt.

Brandt made the castings from wooden patterns he also built and designed. The ribs add strength and character to fork assembly.

Al-Paslow > This view shows the huge 359 tooth 15 inch Byers gear mated to a Byers worm assembly. A heavy duty clock drive makes this telescope move with precision.

A slow motion control device makes the final movements when needed.

Note the clutch centered within the main gear

Al-Paslow > Another view of the telescope.

Here we see the both baffles - one for the primary mirror and quite a long baffle for the secondary mirror too. Modern day optical software would have certainly found the best match.

The massive pier is sectioned for probably two reasons.

The first is to house telescope electronics and the other is to correct the difference between the latitude of Coulter in North Hollywood California and the scopes new home in Gainsville, Florida.

Al-Paslow > From this view we see the Decl. area of the mount and the wiring harness running along the fork. I can't remember why one wire is running down the tube towards the primary mirror at this time.

I believe this instrument may have been used for photometry as I remember.

$Al-Paslow > Close-up of the tail again. The lower end of the 5 inch refractor finder scope can be seen in this picture on the far right of the tube. Here a couple handles can be used to position the telescope to any point in the sky you may wish to see. Notice that a counter weight is on the rusty declination shaft on the left of the picture. ( Click on any image to enlarge it. )$

This is a close up of the tailstock for the 18 inch Ritchey Cretien Reflector. This f-10.5 instrument has optics made by famous telescope maker Richard Brandt.

The story was as I was told - Coulter Optical's Jim Jacobson wanted to build an impressive optical instrument, using the best design and optics. He demanded observatory quality .

Hence the Ritchey-Cretien optical system was used. Jim wanted a special custom mount to go with it. The mount was to be stable and easy to use -- that made the fork equatorial a good choice. Starting from scratch it became a fabulous instrument!!

( Click on any image to enlarge it. )