Hector J. Robinson Observatory facts for kids

The Hector J. Robinson Observatory is a special place in Lincoln Park, Michigan, where people can look at the stars and planets. It has a powerful 14-inch (360 mm) Celestron telescope. The observatory started working again in September 2009. This was celebrated with "first light" ceremonies.

History of the Observatory

HJ Robinson, founder of the Observatory

In 1961, a science teacher named Hector Robinson helped his students build small telescopes. Soon, they had a big idea: to build a much larger telescope. This new telescope would be one of the biggest and best for students anywhere. It was a huge and difficult project. But the students were excited to work on it, even with all the hours of planning and effort.

News of their project spread. Soon, students, teachers, and others donated money. This helped them buy two large pieces of Pyrex glass. Each piece was 12.5-inch-diameter (320 mm) and weighed 28 pounds (13 kg). One piece was for the main mirror, and the other was a tool to shape it.

Many groups of students worked to grind the mirror. They used different types of carborundum grit. They also tested and polished it carefully. Their goal was to create the perfect parabolic curve for a good mirror. After the mirror was coated with reflective aluminum, it was finally ready. But the work was far from over!

Under Mr. Robinson's guidance, the students found a 9-foot-long (2.7 m) tube. It was 16 inches (410 mm) wide. They painted it black inside and out. The finished mirror was placed at one end. They also bought and put together a "spider" (which holds a small mirror) and a rack-and-pinion focusing device with an eyepiece.

Next, they added a cradle and an equatorial mount. This made the telescope complete. But it wasn't a real observatory yet. In 1964, the Board of Education approved building a proper home for it. Before that, the telescope was kept in Mr. Robinson's classroom. On clear nights, they would carry it outside and set it up on a stand.

The base for the observatory was built in early 1964. Workers built a round wall of cement blocks. It was 14 feet (4.3 m) wide and 8 feet (2.4 m) tall. There was also a central support. A metal dome was placed on top. This dome could rotate and had a shutter that could open and close.

This big and challenging project was finally finished. For the next two years, the observatory was used a lot, only limited by the weather. Often, many smaller telescopes were set up around the observatory. This allowed large groups to view the Moon, planets, and galaxies.

Observatory Upgrades

After Mr. Robinson retired in 1966, fewer people used the observatory. In 1970, after not being used much for several years, students and teachers decided to fix it up. In 1971, a students' club formed to use the observatory. They wanted to learn more about astronomy. The next four years were very active. They got new eyepieces and other needed equipment. Since the Astronomy Club started, the telescope has been used often.

In the summer of 1975, the telescope mirror was made even better. This was done by re-shaping and re-coating it with aluminum. In the fall of 1975, the Astronomy Club received a nice 35mm SLR camera. They started trying out astrophotography, taking pictures of the Moon and Jupiter.

In 1975, there were plans to improve the observatory even more. They wanted to get more eyepieces and photographic equipment. They also planned to improve the telescope's mount and add a clock-drive system. This would help the telescope reach its full potential. The club also wanted more members and thought about building new telescopes.

The Hector J. Robinson Observatory is a very valuable part of the school and community. The telescope inside is one of the best. Thanks to the hard work of Hector Robinson and his students from 1961–64, the observatory has a history and future full of discovery.

The observatory had a plaque with the date 1965 (when it was built) and 1975 (for its re-dedication). The Lincoln Park School Board officially named the observatory after Robinson in 1975.

From 1974 to 1977, Greg Knekleian was a member and president of the Astronomy Club. The club was based at Huff Jr. High. During this time, club members built three telescopes. This helped them learn about telescope building. It also gave them projects for daytime and a wider view of the sky. The main 12.5-inch (320 mm) telescope in the observatory had a narrow field of view. The club's sponsor was Bruce Coultas, an 8th grade principal at Huff Jr. High.

Mr. Coultas bought parts to build his own 10-inch (250 mm) Newtonian F5 reflector telescope. Mike Manyak, an expert in optics from the Detroit Astronomical Society, became a sponsor and helped with the observatory. With Mr. Manyak's help, the club built three telescopes. The club did most of the work on their own 8-inch (200 mm) Newtonian telescope. This was the second one they built. Both the 10-inch (250 mm) and 8-inch (200 mm) Newtonian reflectors had an F5 focal length. They used simple pipe mounts. The club ground the main mirrors from kits. Mike Manyak did the final shaping of the parabolic curves.

The first two telescopes built around 1977 had fiberglass tubes. The club made and sanded these tubes, then painted them powder blue. The third small telescope had a simple painted cardboard tube and was very light.

The third telescope was a small 4+1⁄4-inch (110 mm) F4 reflector. This was the student president's personal telescope. The student mostly ground and polished this mirror alone. Mr. Manyak did the final finishing and testing.

The 8-inch (200 mm) Newtonian telescope was kept in the observatory with the main 12+1⁄2-inch (320 mm) telescope in 1977. A local newspaper, the Mellus Newspaper, showed club members polishing the mirror for the 8-inch (200 mm) Newtonian. At its busiest, the club had 35 members. About a third of them were very active.

The club likely stayed active for only a few more years. Huff Jr. High school was later torn down. The observatory and football field remained next to the old school site. They are still next to Lincoln Park High School.

Mike Manyak continued to open the observatory for a while. It was used until about 1980 or 1981. Mike Manyak was involved with astronomy until he passed away in 1998.

The observatory then became quiet after 1982. Bruce Coultas died, and without a middle school club, there was little interest. High school students in the 1970s often saw it as a "Jr. High" club. It's hard to say exactly when the observatory was last used or locked up. Real work to restore the observatory began in late 2008.

Both telescopes sat unused in the observatory for years until 2008. In 2001, Dr. Timothy Dey, an amateur astronomer living in Lincoln Park, learned about the observatory. He dreamed of restoring it. He worked to find a way to bring it back to life. Leo Macmaster, an 8th-grade science teacher, and Dr. Dey wrote a grant application. They wanted money to fix up the observatory. They won a grant from Toshiba Incorporated. The grant amount was reduced due to the economic downturn of 2008.

The observatory still had the original telescope and the 8-inch (200 mm) Newtonian reflector. But many birds had nested there over the years. Bird droppings covered the mirrors of both telescopes. The observatory needed a lot of cleaning and repairs. The old telescopes were removed. Parts of the original scaffolding, used to climb up and look through the old 12-inch (300 mm) Newtonian, were used for a new raised floor. Now, people don't have to climb high to look through the eyepiece. The new SCT telescope has its eyepiece at the back.

The reflective coating of the 12-inch (300 mm) mirror was gone. The 8-inch (200 mm) Newtonian had similar problems. Acid from the bird droppings had damaged the fine surface of both mirrors. The Ford Amateur Astronomy Club (from Dearborn, Michigan) helped with their astronomy knowledge. Joseph Griggs Construction Company helped a lot with building repairs. They built a new raised floor, did wiring, cleaned, and painted. Joseph Griggs was a student in Hector J. Robinson's class in the 1960s. He actually worked on the first mirror! So, old students came back to help restore the observatory. Even the mayor of Lincoln Park helped find resources to create a cement path to the observatory.

The new telescope was installed, and the observatory has been working since September 2009. The old telescope was removed. It's not clear what will happen to the 8-inch (200 mm) Newtonian built in 1977. It might be fixed up later.

The new main telescope in the observatory is a Celestron C-14. It has computer controls, which means it can find and track objects in the sky automatically. It can also be used for astrophotography. The observatory will also have Wi-Fi. Many other updates are planned. One goal is to allow the observatory to be controlled remotely. This means children from other schools could observe through it using the internet. A network of schools uses this type of internet link. They share telescopes and can even observe during their daytime using telescopes on the other side of the world, where it is night.

Telescopes

The observatory has used different telescopes over the years.

Past Telescopes

• 12.5-inch (320 mm) telescope (1964) - This was the original telescope. It has been retired and might be put in a museum.
• 8-inch (200 mm) Newtonian reflector (1977) - This telescope was removed. It might be fixed up again, but it is not currently in use.

Current Telescopes

• 14-inch (360 mm) Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope (2009) - This is the main telescope installed in 2009.
• Lunt 35mm Solar Scope - This is a special telescope used to view the Sun safely. It is mounted on the C-14.
• 80mm F7 Meade APO refractor - This is another telescope mounted on the C-14.