Sherwood Observatory facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sherwood Observatory
View of Sherwood Obseratory looking north.
Organization	MSAS
Location	Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
Coordinates	ACoordinates: Unknown argument format
Altitude	187.9 m (616.5 ft)
Established	1970
Website http://www.sherwood-observatory.org.uk/

Sherwood Observatory is a special place in Nottinghamshire, England. It's an observatory where people can look at the stars and planets. The Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society owns and runs it.

The observatory has a large dome, about 6.5 meters wide. Inside this dome is a powerful telescope. It's a 0.61 meter Newtonian Reflecting telescope. There's also a meeting room for the society. This room is used for talks and public events. The building also has a workshop, kitchen, office, and restrooms.

How Sherwood Observatory Was Built

The Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society (MSAS) started in February 1970. Their first meetings were at a local engineering company. The members quickly decided to build their own observatory.

Finding the Perfect Spot

By 1972, they bought a piece of land. It was one of the highest spots in Nottinghamshire. This is important for an observatory. Being high up helps you see the sky better.

Building the Observatory by Hand

Work on the site began in 1975. The foundations were poured that year. Society members did all the building work themselves. They even used many materials from old buildings that were being torn down. This helped save money and resources.

Creating the Dome

The observatory's dome was a big project. The University of Nottingham Architecture department helped design it. The main parts of the dome were made from strong steel. Members bent this steel by hand. They used a large hydraulic jack, like one used to lift trucks.

Then, 30 aluminum ribs were added. Over 5,000 rivets held 120 aluminum sheets in place. Each rivet hole was drilled by hand. It was a huge effort!

Finishing Touches and the Telescope

Once the lecture theatre had a roof, it was protected from the weather. Then, work started on the electrical systems. The telescope itself was also built by the members. Its main frame was made from scaffold tubing. It was mounted on a special stand called an equatorial fork. This stand has electric motors. They help the telescope move slowly to follow the stars as they cross the sky.

The main mirror for the telescope was made at the observatory. A homemade machine ground the mirror for four years. Sadly, this mirror was damaged later. After raising money, a new mirror was bought. The first thing they looked at with the new telescope was the Orion Nebula. This is a famous cloud of gas and dust in space.

Sherwood Observatory officially opened in 1986. The Astronomer Royal, Professor Sir Francis Graham-Smith, was there for the opening.

The Main Telescope at Sherwood Observatory

The main telescope at Sherwood Observatory is a Newtonian telescope. It sits on an equatorial fork mount. This type of mount helps it track objects in the sky.

How the Telescope Works

The telescope was first built as a Nasmyth reflector. But it had problems focusing. So, in the 1990s, it was changed. It became a simpler Newtonian telescope. This design works very well.

The telescope has special motors. These motors help control its movement. They also help focus the image. The dome itself also moves with electricity. It automatically turns as the telescope follows stars.

Different cameras can be attached to the telescope. These cameras can take pictures and videos. What the telescope sees can be shown on a large screen. This screen is 2 meters wide in the lecture theatre. The telescope can even be controlled from this room.