Observatory Equipment

With the support of Charles County Board of Education the club starter (1999) telescope was a used Meade 16 inch.

With the active financial support of club members, the local business community and club initiated fund raisers SMAS selected and acquired a Celestron CGE 1400 Schmidt-Cassegrain in July of 2003 as its current telescope.

The club recently (October 2003) received a 12-1/2 Ritchey - Chretien telescope as a gift from Mr. David Browne. The telescope was built by Mr. Browne's father in the 1970s. Mr. Browne's father also worked with Mr. Ritchey at the U. S. Naval Observatory in Washington in the 1930s and helped install a 40 inch reflector telescope.

Here is a view of our new telescope on its home built oak stand and trolley.