In the 19th century, Alvan Graham Clark was one of the premier lens makers for telescopes. His craftsmanship was sought after and many observatories in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were built to house his refractor telescopes. In fact, smaller Alvan Clark refractors are also sought after by amateur astronomers when they are on the used market.
You have an opportunity to look through a Clark Telescope at the Dearborn Observatory, located at Northwestern (Evanston, IL). The observatory has public viewing on Fridays, weather permitting. And, if you are interested in learning about the history of Alvan Clark refractors, come visit our March fundamentals talk, presented by NAA member Ed Armstrong.
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