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6 INCHES TELESCOPE |
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The 6 inches (152mm) refractor, owned by the Department, has a focal length of 2200 mm and has equatorial mounting. The telescope was produced by the company "Grubb" and was mounted on a permanent pier in the big dome of the Observatory in 1897. This fact makes this telescope the first one, mounted on a permanent pier in Bulgaria. It has been used for practical exercises of the students, studying Astronomy for many years. The telescope has also been used for science purposes, mostly during the first half of the last century. Prof. Bachevarov carried out observations of the Halley's comet in 1910 and the young assistant professor Kiril Popov published his observations of the comet in Comptes Rendus of the French Academy. Now the students call the telescope "The old man" because of his long and loyal service. At this moment, the telescope can be used only for amateur observations because of the strong light and gas-dust pollution of the sky above Sofia. The telescope has been repaired in 2004 for the 110 anniversary of the Observatory. |
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* Photos - Tihomir Nachev (KaspaR)
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Department of Astronomy, Faculty of Physics, 5 "James Bourchier" Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria |