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159 Riverview Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA
15214
412-321-2400
allegheny-observatory@pitt.edu
This historic building is partially handicapped accessible.
Please contact us with any questions.
The Allegheny Observatory is one of the major historic astronomical research institutions of the world. It is located in Riverview Park, four miles north of the Golden Triangle (downtown Pittsburgh) and eight miles from the University of Pittsburgh of which it is an integral part.
The Allegheny Observatory was an initial pioneer in research in the United States and this continues to be an important function of the observatory. Its telescopes and instrumental equipment are available for use by students of the university, and observatory astronomers use it to teach university classes. Throughout its long history the observatory has always been aware, too, of its obligation to allow the public to become acquainted with the wonders of the night sky by actual observations and illustrated lectures.
TELESCOPES
KEELER
The newest and most often used telescope at the observatory.
PlaneWave CDK24
Aperture: 24"
Focal Length: 3974mm
Focal Ratio: f/6.5
Fused Silica Mirrors
Field of View: 32X32 arcminutes
Camera: SBIG STX-16803 (4096X4096 pixels)
FITZ-CLARK
Under the smallest dome is the 13-inch Fitz-Clark refractor. Constructed in 1861 by Mr. Henry Fitz of New York, it was the primary telescope of the original Allegheny Observatory. The Fitz-Clark is a visual refractor, which means the lens was designed to bring yellow light to a focus, where the human eye most sensitive. It was at that time the third largest telescope in the world.
Instrumentation: Santa Barbara Instruments Group (SBIG) ST-2000XM CCD imaging Camera mounted to a Taurus Image Tracker III, A Baader full aperture solar filter for direct viewing of the Sun, apparatus for doing solar projection, a multitude of 1.25 and 2 inch eyepieces.
THAW MEMORIAL REFRACTOR
Under the largest dome is the Thaw Memorial Refractor. William Thaw Junior, in memory of his father William Thaw Senior donated the funds for its construction. The Thaw telescope was designed and built by the Brashear Optical company in 1912. The lens of this telescope was designed for photographic use. It was corrected to bring blue light to a focus; this is where photographic films of this time were most sensitive. The photographic program started in 1914 and to this day has collected some 110,000 exposures on glass plates. It is one of the oldest and largest collections of photographic plates in the world.
The telescope tube is 47 feet long and has a moving mass of about 8000 pounds.
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