Thomas G. Cupillari Astronomical Observatory - Route 81/Exit 202
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Fall 2008 Observatory Schedule
The fall series of public lectures and viewing sessions will be conducted every Wednesday and Friday evening beginning on September 3 and continuing through November 14. The observatory will open at 7:30 p.m. The programs will be offered regardless of sky conditions, unless there is a threat of severe weather. A severe weather forecast will cancel the evening's presentation. The programs are provided as a community service and are free of charge.
The programs will include an illustrated lecture, and if the sky is clear, participants will observe through the telescopes. Objects to be viewed include the Moon, planets Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune. Double stars, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies will also be viewed.
Groups such as school classes, scouts, and community organizations must make an appointment for a night other than a public night. If further info is needed call 945-8402 or email tom.cupillari@keystone.edu.
Directions to Observatory
The Observatory is located at the intersection of Route 107 and Hack Road. To get to the Observatory from I-81, Take Exit 202 off 81 and head west towards Fleetville.
From I-81 North turn left on Route 107; from I-81 South turn right on Route 107. Travel 1.8 miles and turn left onto Hack Road. Observatory entrance road is on your left.
From Keystone College, Main Campus in LaPlume. West on Route 6 & 11, then turn right onto Route 107. Continue 7 miles then turn right onto Hack Road. Observatory entrance road is on your left.
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History
The telescope that is the heart of the Keystone College Observatory has a history stretching back to the late 19th century. It was constructed originally for Beloit College, WI, in 1882 by the firm of Alvan Clark & Sons of Cambridgeport, MA, makers of the finest refracting lenses ever ground in the United States. The instrument was acquired in 1967 by Dave Garroway, a television pioneer of the 1950s best known for hosting the "Today" show on NBC.
Moving to the West Coast from his home near Boston in 1971, Mr. Garroway decided against taking the telescope along and advertised it for sale. Thomas G. Cupillari, Keystone professor of astronomy and physical science, saw the advertisement and wrote a letter of inquiry to Mr. Garroway. A series of communications between the two men followed. Ultimately, Mr. Garroway, assured that Keystone would make the telescope available to students of all ages and to the general public, rejected all other bids and chose Keystone as the new home for his 'baby'.
Gifts to the 1972 Annual Fund, including $5,000 from the Scranton Area Foundation, made possible the installation of the telescope and dome and construction of the adjacent service building. A grant from the National Science Foundation financed the purchase of a spectroscope, Schmidt camera and photometer.
In 1996 the Clark lens was installed in a new equatorial mount with a modern electronic drive system.
Alvan Clark and his sons, Alvan Graham and George, were perfectionists. The two Alvans ground the lenses manually, tested them in a tunnel adjacent to their factory basement, then corrected and polished them with infinite care, using their bare thumbs for the final delicate touches. George, a mechanical expert, made the controls.
Rated on a scale of zero to 10, zero representing perfection, the 9-1/2 inch glass in Keystone's telescope scores about a two. This is far better than lenses from other makers and even better than other Clark lenses.
The best known telescopes made by the family are the 25 inch at the Naval Observatory in Washington, DC, the 36 inch at the Lick Observatory in Santa Cruz, CA, and the 40 inch at the Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, WI, the largest refractor ever ground.
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