New Whitefield landmark
What just might be the largest celestial observatory in Maine
has just been constructed here in Whitefield. The fantastic structure on the
property of Colin Caissie across from George Fergusson on Clary Lake will house
a huge Meade 16" f/4.5 Newtonian telescope on a motorized heavy equatorial mount
that will access dark sky through the slit of the 10’ dome seen being
installed here on Sunday October 8th.
The basic design has been agreed upon and consists of a 10’by 20’ floor plan, built on six concrete piers. The building is divided into two 10’square rooms, one capped by a pitched roof, and one room that supports the observing floor and dome. A central 18" pier is isolated from the
structure and rises through the two floors to support the scope. The rooms will provide shelter, meeting space and storage for the many and
sundry instruments the club owns. A Member/Architect drew up the basic plans.
Read another great article on this venture by our own Lucy
Martin
in The Lincoln County News by clicking
here
Still more information can be found on the website
of :
Central Maine Astronomical Society - CMAS
Anyone with an interest or curiosity about astronomy
is welcome to join. It is one of the societies goal to offer educational
opportunities to the area schools and community.
What a GREAT resource for Whitefield !