Harold E. Taylor Observatory - Pomona, NJ
N 39° 29.161 W 074° 33.101
18S E 538553 N 4370808
The Stockton College Observatory, a facility of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division, was started in 1974 as an academic project directed by the late Astrophysics Professor Harold Taylor. Stockton College is a NJ state college.
Waymark Code: WM7RQ9
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 11/27/2009
Views: 13
The Observatory is a 16 foot diameter Ash dome housing a 0.4 m (16-inch) Meade LX 200 Schmidt-Cassegrain computer controlled telescope, as its main instrument and a 125 mm (5-inch) auxiliary telescope. This new 0.4m telescope replaced the former telescope which had been in operation for over twenty-five years. Astrovideo and Digital CCD cameras can be attached to the telescopes for capturing images to display on monitors during classes and special events.
Built in 1976, the observatory was Taylor's pet project. For decades, the domed structure hosted monthly public viewings. It was named in memory of Taylor, an astrophysics professor at Stockton, after his death in 2002.
Due to equipment problems all public viewing sessions have been cancelled until further notice. The cost of maintaining and staffing the observatory, plus the increased influence of light pollution, diminished its effectiveness. Today, it is open only to students who take a campus astronomy class. The Stockton observatory did get a new 16-foot telescope in 2001, but the structure still cannot accommodate a crowd. It will remain limited to student use unless a private donor were to step up to fund an upgrade.
Visit Instructions:Note the time of day of your visit, and your own photo of your favorite part of the observatory. This might be the view from the observatory, picture of your favorite building or favorite exhibit. (Be mindful of flash photography rules!)
If you participated in an observing session, let everyone know what you saw!