Ritter Astrophysical Research Observatory

This telescope is located in Toledo, OH on the campus of the University of Toledo (my alma mater). The telescope was the first that utilized a zero-thermal expansion material called CERVIT, developed in Toledo, by Owens Illinois. The telescope was built in 1967 from funds donated by the late George Ritter. The glass for the optics allowed the telescope to easily get good data in both the summer and winter, which was not always a possibility before then.

The telescope is a one meter Ritchey-Chrétien reflector that is guided by computer. There is an ST-7 camera used for guiding the telescope. The starlight is sent down an optical fiber to either a low resolution spectrograph or a high resolution échelle spectrograph. The telescope currently has a public access program through a NSF PREST grant, which includes both data taken for the astronomer and visits by students. The telescope is ideally suited for stellar spectroscopy, as photometry is nearly impossible from light polluted Toledo.

Here are some pictures I have taken during my time observing there, as well as a Clear Sky Clock for this observatory.

Me looking through the eyepiece of the telescope. (Courtesy of Nancy Morrison)

A view of the telescope in the dome, from the roof.

A simple view through the eyepiece of Trapezium, taken with my simple point 'n' shoot digital camera.