The Bath Astronomers have been contacted about a recently rediscovered telescope in an observatory building just outside Bath. Previously believing the building was empty, it wasn’t until part of the roof collapsed that it was realised there was a big blue telescope inside.
The equatorial mount was made by John Browning who was building in the second half of the 19th century. The focusing tube on the telescope is engraved with the manufacturer’s name Troughton & Simms who were building in a similar period.
The focal length of the telescope is 9 foot and the front objective lens is 7 inches in diameter. Work is required to clean up the lens and fix the focuser.
The mount appears to be in a reasonable condition so the work will focus of getting the dome watertight and allowing it to rotate again.