For immediate release

6/15/01

Historic Telescope Gets New Life

A large telescope that world class astronomers in Albany used in the early 20th century to scan the heavens will become a 21st century tool that students, teachers, amateur astronomers and the interested public can again use to study the stars. Under an agreement between the Dudley Observatory of Schenectady, and the Arunah Hill Natural Science Center of Cummington, Mass., the Dudley Observatory's historic 12" Pruyn Telescope, currently in storage at the New York State Museum, will be installed at Arunah Hill for use by its thousands of annual visitors.

The Dudley Observatory is a non-profit organization sponsoring education and research on astronomy and its history. Its efforts range from awards that enable astronomers and historians to carry out research in astronomy and its history, to sponsorship of educational programs at local museums. From the 1850s until the 1970s, it also carried out research in the fields of astronomy and space science. Much of that work was done at an observatory on Lake Avenue in Albany.

There its astronomers installed in 1893 a then state-of-the-art large refracting telescope with a lens 12" in diameter. It was built by the Warner and Swasey Company of Chicago, one of the nation's leading makers of scientific instruments. Its lens was made by John Brashear of Pittsburgh, a world leader in optical equipment . Purchased with donations made by Charles and Robert C. Pruyn of Albany, it was named the Robert H. Pruyn Equatorial Telescope in honor of their father, a prominent Albany banker and long-time board member of the Observatory. It served science for more than 60 years, as well as being opened to public viewing every Tuesday night. It was put in storage when the Dudley Observatory left its Albany site in 1965.

Its new home will be the Arunah Hill Natural Science Center, created on a hilltop not far from Pittsfield in order to provide a clear view of the skies unspoiled by city lights. Its members have plans underway to build a large observatory building. It will house the Pruyn equatorial telescope, along with other working telescopes, some of them also of historical interest "Arunah Hill has become the host of historical working educational telescopes," states the Science Center's president Joe Zuraw.

The agreement is the result of an initiative by Susan and Alan French of Schenectady, both well-known amateur astronomers and members of the Board of the Dudley Observatory. Arunah Hill sent a formal proposal to the Board outlining an arrangement that would allow Dudley to maintain ownership of the instrument, while Arunah Hill would oversee restoration, operation and long term housing. An agreement containing these provisions was unanimously approved by the Dudley Observatory at its most recent Board meeting in June.

"The end result," says Zuraw, " is that school children and adults will once again be able to use the telescope." Concludes Samuel S. Wait, president of the board of trustees of the Dudley Observatory, " We are pleased to have found a home where the Pruyn telescope can enjoy a new life,"

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Dudley Observatory
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Schenectady, NY 12308
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