The Moeller Telescopes
The Moeller Observatory brings world-class technology to the area through its various telescopes, each one offering best-in-class for performance for observing, astrophotography, and data collection.
Dieter Moeller has worked with many of the world’s best astronomy equipment providers to bring the best available technology to support the local amateur astronomy community.
The Planewave PW1000 1-Meter
CDK Reflector
The primary telescope is a Planewave PW1000 1-meter research class reflecting telescope employing a Corrected Dall-Kirkham (CDK) design. This is a best-in-class instrument used widely by NASA collaborators and research institutions. The PW1000 features a 6000mm focal length at f/6, a 100mm (1-degree) field of view, dual Nasmyth ports for mounting multiple instruments, direct drive motors and absolute encoders for precise tracking, and zero periodic error or backlash. The optics present no coma, no off-axis astigmatism, and no field curvature.
The Moeller PW1000 is one of only a few operating PW1000s in the Eastern US, and is one of the few PW1000s accessible to amateur astronomers in the entire United States.
Local CAS members have been running data collection programs using the PW1000 for exoplanet research, obtaining valuable data in a collaboration with NASA and the European Space Agency.
The Telescope Engineering Company (TEC) 250 Refractor
Offering some of the best planetary and starfield views available anywhere, the TEC 250 refractor has an especially large aperture of 250mm with a 2200 mm focal length providing an f/8.8 ratio. In addition to superior sharpness, the outstanding contrast of the TEC 250, when utilized in the dark skies at the observatory, provides a unique deep space observing experience.
Together with the impeccable optics, the precisely machined mechanical components of the TEC 250 provide the Moeller Observatory with a true research class instrument.
The TEC 250 is mounted on a 10 Micron GM 4000 mount, which sits on a Pier Tech adjustable pier. Only around 20 of these TEC 250s were ever manufactured. Observers looking through this telescope are consistently in awe of the sharpness, depth and detail it offers.
The Planewave Delta Rho 350
The second telescope in the Moeller roll-off building is a Planewave Delta Rho 350 astrograph. This super fast astrograph features an f/3 aperture at a 1050mm focal length in a corrected Cassegrain design. It offers a flat 3-degree image circle well suited for serious deep sky astrophotography. Built with a carbon fiber tube, the Delta Rho controls thermal expansion while also using its built-in dew control to prevent condensation during imaging sessions.
The Delta Rho sits on a Planewave L600 direct drive mount with high resolution encoders providing zero backlash or periodic error. Like the PW1000, the Delta Rho 350 can slew 50 degrees per second making tracking of satellites possible.
Lunt 152mm Ha Solar
Lastly, the third pier handles a Lunt 152mm hydrogen-alpha solar telescope, currently the largest solar telescopes on the market. True doppler tuning creates an almost 3d-like view of the sun’s surface, allowing prominences and filaments to be brought into view based on the tuning. The pressure tuner and longer focal length allows for a level of precision that brings all the sun’s detail into focus.
The Lunt 152 is mounted on an AP1600 equatorial mount with absolute encoders.
