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New Domes in South Africa and Texas

Dec 14, 2011

Despite cold and heavy winds, snow, and freezing temperatures, new domes were constructed in Texas at McDonald Observatory and in South Africa at Sutherland!

McDonald Observatory

"Tuesday- Snowing, windy, and below freezing. But we worked anyway." - John Martinez. By the end of the week the weather warmed a bit, much of the snow melted. Walls were assembled and the dome was placed on top!  The 1-meter dome, nicknamed Stellan, is near the visitors center at McDonald Observatory and will house the Chow telescope, a one-off telescope project that will be used for outreach.

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(Image Credit: John Martinez)

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(Image Credit: John Martinez)

Sutherland

The walls of the three Stellans were assembled within a week and the three domes attached in just a couple of hours (even in cold weather with heavy winds). Next up, a few 1-meter telescopes!

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(Image Credit : Jim Baumann)

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(Image Credit: Jim Baumann)