Amateur stargazers in Christchurch will soon get the chance to observe the solar system through the restored 158-year-old telescope on top of the Arts Centre.
The half-tonne telescope was buried under 35 tonnes of rubble when the Observatory tower collapsed in the February 22, 2011, earthquake.
The historic Townsend Teece telescope will soon be back in its central city home in the Observatory on top of the Arts Centre.
It has taken more than three years of painstaking work by a dedicated team at Canterbury University to bring this piece of Christchurch’s astronomical heritage back into operation.
The Townsend Teece telescope will be returned to its central city home in the Observatory at the Arts Centre. Photo: Geoff Sloan
It left the valuable telescope badly damaged, but amazingly the optics survived entirely intact making its restoration worthwhile.
Once installed, the public will again be able to enjoy views of the night sky through the telecope, with the return of weekly viewings.
The Observatory sits on top of the Arts Centre. Photo: Geoff Sloan
- By Geoff Sloan
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
