Nestled in rural southeastern Kansas, "SISK OBSERVATORY" is unique. This beautiful observatory consists of a two-story structure topped by a 14' Ash Dome and houses a one of a kind 24.5 inch clear aperture (25.5 inch oversized zerodur primary), double aspheric Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope. This scope gives a 7.5 inch diameter flat photographic field at f/6.2, 150 inch normal focal length. When using 3.75 x 4.75 inch or 4 x 5 inch film, it gives a 1.43 x 1.81 degree field. The 7.5 inch image circle is 2.9 degrees on 8 x 10 inch film with slight vignetting. Dr. Sisk has owned the scope since 1983 when he ordered its custom fabrication by Astro Works. In 2003, Dr. Sisk began a total upgrade of the scope, mount and observatory consisting of recoating all the optics, converting the mount from the German Equatorial to the Fork Mount with dual friction roller drives, upgraded the ST8 to STL-11000 CCD and converting the Ash Dome to allow complete remote and eventually robotic operation. Welcome to our site and please click on the Instruments link to follow the ongoing progress of a lifetime of "the endless pursuit of heavenly bodies".
Mike and Sandra in 2005 with the 24.5" SCT on the new Fork Mount.
CHECK OUT THE GERMAN EQUATORIAL MOUNT BY ASTRO WORKS!
All the pictures in our "film gallery" were shot using this mount. The payload with the 24" SCT and auxillary instruments is over 300 pounds requiring over 300 pounds of counter weights, for a total of over 600 pounds. With the FS2 it would easily slew 600x and probably would have gone faster. It would certainly go faster with lighter payloads. Notice the 2 hour hand guided M31 and the routine 1 hour exposures. Since then the system has been upgraded to allow complete remote computer control.
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