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Naylor Observatory

Organization	Astronomical Society of Harrisburg
Location	Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, United States
Coordinates	40°08′49″N 76°53′56″W / 40.1469°N 76.8989°W / 40.1469; -76.8989
Altitude	170 m (560 ft)
Established	1955
Website	Naylor Observatory
Location of Naylor Observatory
[edit on Wikidata]

Naylor Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Astronomical Society of Harrisburg. It is located near Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, United States.

History

The Astronomical Society of Harrisburg (ASH) was formed in 1955. It is one of the oldest astronomical societies in the country. One of its original goals was to construct a local observatory. The members first constructed a 12.5" Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain telescope to place in the new observatory. They then attempted to purchase a plot of land for $1000. This plot of land was discovered to be adjacent to a to-be-built night club and the money was refunded.

The society learned a valuable lesson and planned the observatory out more accurately. The present property, two miles northwest of Lewisberry, was acquired in 1966. Since the society had not had an established history, even with 60 members acquiring funding for the construction became an issue. Nonetheless, the French Dome, the observatory's first building, was completed in 1967. The society spent the next 5 years, ending in 1971, raising money to fund the observatory's initial construction. By 1987, the Asper operations/administration building, telescope viewing pads, and several telescope storage buildings were constructed.

The club continued expanding and in 1979 a 12.5" Cave Astrola Newtonian reflecting telescope was installed in the Culver roll-off observatory. In the 1990s, a 17" classical Cassegrain reflector replaced the second telescope, a 16" Newtonian, that had been housed in the French Dome observatory. A second roll-off observatory was constructed in 2005. The King roll-off observatory features 14" Schmidt-Cassegrain catadioptric telescopes manufactured by Celestron and Meade. A third roll-off observatory, which houses another 14" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain catadioptric intended for CCD imaging, was constructed in late 2013. ASH also owns a number of smaller telescopes, including a 40mm Coronado PST hydrogen-alpha solar telescope, 6 and 8" Dobsonian reflectors, a 10" Cave Astrola Newtonian, and a 10" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain catadioptric.

See also

• List of astronomical observatories

References

1. "Look-Up in the Sky: Naylor Observatory allows those close by to see very far away". TheBurg. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
2. ^ "The Astronomical Society of Harrisburg". 12 January 2006. Archived from the original on 28 October 2005. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
3. "Total eclipse of Moon is Wednesday". The Sentinel. 25 October 2004. p. 29. Retrieved 22 May 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Astronomical Center is Started in Lewisberry". Sunday News. 22 October 1967. p. 56. Retrieved 22 May 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Observatory in County to be Dedicated". York Daily Record. 30 November 1968. p. 2. Retrieved 22 May 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Lewisberry observatory offers grand view of sky". The York Dispatch. 27 August 1987. p. 31. Retrieved 22 May 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Astronomical Society of Harrisburg, PA
• Edward L. Naylor Astronomical Center & Observatory Clear Sky Clock Forecasts of observing conditions.

• Pennsylvania
• Astronomy
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• Outer space
• Solar System
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• Astronomical observatories in Pennsylvania
• Buildings and structures in York County, Pennsylvania