Planewave Instruments 24-inch CDK
The observatory crowning the Meyer Science cCenter houses a state-of-the-art PlaneWave Instruments CDK24 telescope, with a 24-inch diameter primary mirror and a Corrected Dall-Kirkham design to maximize image clarity and focus over an exceptionally large field of view. The CDK24 has a carbon fiber, dual truss design, with 11 cooling fans to equilibrate the temperature of its mirrors.
The telescope weight is 240 lbs., while its mount weighs an additional 800 lbs. to provide stability and minimize image jitter. The telescope has recently been outfitted with an instrument selector, which allows for easy switching between imaging equipment and eye piece viewing.
Telescope Specifications
| Telescope | Planewave Instruments 24 inch CDK >> |
|---|---|
| Aperture | 24 inch (610 mm) |
| Focal Length | 4145 mm (163.19 inch) |
| Focal Ratio | f/6.8 |
| Central Obstruction | 41% of the Primary Mirror Diameter |
| Camera | Finger Lakes Instruments (CCD) ProLine 16803 Imaging System |
| Filters | Astrodon>> E-series L R G B Hα OIII |
| Software | Software Bisque TheSkyX, MaximDL |
| Remote Operations | VNC |
Additional Telescopes
In addition to the main telescope housed in the 21-foot dome, the roof has 6 smaller mounts for our collection of 8-12 inch telescopes.
- Meade 12-inch LX200-ACF >> 12'' f/10
- Two Celestron 11-inch CPC1100 >> 11'' f/10
- Orion Skyquest XT-10 >> Classic Dobsonian 10'' f/4.7
Solar Telescopes
For observations of the sun we have several solar telescopes: The Coronade PST and the Lunt 60mm Double Stack Solar Telescope view the sun in H-alpha, a very narrow band in red light that reveals a many features in the atmosphere and on the surface of the sun. The observatory also has a collection of Questar telescopes to observe the sun in white light. The Lunt telescope can be equipped with a CCD or video camera to make images of the surface of the sun.