During your Night Sky Tour you will be peering across our galaxy—and beyond—through a 14-inch diameter (0.36-meter) f/4.6 Dobsonian telescope. Its giant primary mirror is made of low-thermal- expansion glass which, when cooled by three attached fans at the beginning of the evening, can quickly reach a stable temperature for producing crisp views of the heavens. This telescope's primary mirror is large enough to capture light some 2,567 times fainter than the average dark-adapted human eye, enabling observers to view objects as near as the moon (240,000 miles away) and as far as 2.4 billion light years (14 billion trillion miles). Its optics can resolve detail as fine as the width of a dime seen from a distance of nearly seven miles (11.2 km), and a variety of eyepieces make it capable of magnifying more than 500 times under optimal conditions. With 42,000+ objects in its computer database, this electronically-controlled instrument will robotically find, center and track fascinating objects around the heavens, allowing you to stand or sit comfortably at the eyepiece for extended views of your favorite celestial bodies. From under the clear dark skies of California's only International Dark Sky Community , this telescopic time machine will transport you to back many millions or billions of years to glimpse objects as they were long before humans walked the Earth.
ABOUT THE TELESCOPE
© Dennis L. Mammana.  All rights reserved.
A newer and more powerful telescope will soon be coming… stay tuned for details!