18 inch Ritchey-Chretien at Unv. Florida

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. )

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 !!

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. )

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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. )

Instrument is now pointed almost over head. This shot as others before it now shows the 5 inch finder scope entirely. Don't go away just yet. Go to the next page for more images and a note on our tour guide Don McNeale who spent time at the south pole. See the next ( and last ) page!!

The fork and polar axis housing were all cast from aluminum. The adjustable counter weight in this picture is stainless steel with a brass tightening knob. What's nice is the softer brass won't mar the harder shaft it rides on. This stainless and brass combination is the same materials used when I made my conterweight setup for my home made 8 inch reflector in the 1960's. ( Click on any image to enlarge it. )

Adele and the Jacobson - Brandt telescope.

Agggh ... sunlight !! The hot Florida sun was beating down on the observatory all morning and the sky conditions were hazy, hot & humid. Even after the dome remained open for quite sometime the combination of the elements took a toll on us, but we enjoyed the experience. Note the drive assembly on the Declination portion of the fork mount it too is Byers.

Last image of the Right Accession assembly, Stainless counter weights, etc. A toggle switch on the pier turns it all on.

Don Mc Neal of the University of Florida was our guide and made a special trip to take us this observatory, open the building up and give us a very rewarding tour. Don also told of us of his numerous adventures to the south pole via The Amundsen Scott Artic Research Program. This included stories from terrible snow storms at the outpost to finding metorites just lying on the ice. We also thank Mr. Richard Brandt for making these arrangements for us, even though he has now passed on. All photos by Al Paslow taken with an Olympus OM -2n and a 50 mm Zuko lens in the 1980's.