Built: 1974 | Type: instruction and research
Quick Facts
History
Designed and manufactured by Ash Manufacturing Company, Inc., the observatory's telescope was built over a three-year period by Oakland University student Jerry Pesha, Rochester Adams High School senior Danny O'Dowd, and Oakland University's Physics Club. Son of then-president Donald O'Dowd, Danny O'Dowd honed his physics skills through the construction of the telescope, later pursuing his studies at the California Institute of Technology.
The telescope itself is reflective, built with a mirror at the bottom of its shaft to allow light to reflect back towards a second mirror at the top. Capable of tracking moving stars and other traveling cosmic materials by use of a slow-motion motor, the telescope has been used by Oakland University's Physics Department, Astronomy clubs, and the public for a host of stargazing experiences.
Photos courtesy of the Oakland University Archives.
Created by Mariela Hristova / Updated on May 24, 2019 by Mariela Hristova