An appeal for Scope Restoration and Observatory for the Center for Science Education

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Recently, A 12 inch Cave Cassegrain telescope made the first leg of its journey – traveling from Streamwood, IL to Racine, WI it logged 85 miles of its 8500 mile destination to Tanzania.

The Scope will be the main instrument in a roll-off observatory being built as part of a Center for Science Education in northern Tanzania.

Here is a small animation demonstrating how a roll-off observatory will look at the Center for Science on Mt. Meru Tanzania:

The Center will enable teachers and their students to participate in hands on science exploration and learning.

Now, it’s time to carry out the restoration strategy. From mirrors to tube, from mount to motors, from gears to focuser   — cleaning, repairing, rewiring, polishing and painting are needed.   And thanks to the generosity of time and energy by the members of the Racine Astronomical Society the work has begun.

Right now in Tanzania a team of scientists, teachers and community leaders are working with a secondary school to receive the scope and set up the observatory.

Overall, $10,000(USD) is needed for restoration, shipping and initial observatory construction in Tanzania.

Here is what you can do: 

  • Donate through Astronomers Without Borders at astronomerswithoutborders.org.  On the website project page go to the Telescopes to Tanzania tab and click the donate now button!
  • Send a donation c/o Chuck Ruehle 5742 Cambridge Cir. #4 Racine, WI USA  53406.  Please make all checks to Astronomers Without Borders.