Abandoned Observatory and Telescope
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- Опубликовано: 20 окт 2024
- I found an Abandoned Observatory with three telescope domes hidden in the woods. Two of the domes were built in the 1960s and the third brick built one was built in the 1970s. The biggest dome still had the telescope inside, which was a 24 inch reflecting telescope, it was built in 1914, and at the time was one of the biggest telescopes in the UK.
I also studied Astronomy and Astrophysics here, made observations as part of the BSc course with a refractor in that middle dome. (The dome with the brick base didn't exist as far as I remember back in 1978). The 24" telescope was almost never used, it was too unwieldly, I might have looked through it once and I don't recall it being used for anything serious during my whole time there. There was a 9 hole golf course on the site even then and the whole lot including the house belonged to the University of Newcastle back in the 1970s. Had some great times playing golf during the day, staying in a cottage on site and observing at night. Thanks for posting the video, I only stumbled across the video by accident and couldn't believe what I was seeing as its a scene etched on my memory from over 45 years ago. I stood on those steps and worked at that table in the middle dome, it brought back some great memories. Sad to see the condition the observatory is in now but I'm somewhat surprised to see its still there at all.
The telescope is a 0.6m Calver reflector that was initially used by Reverend Espin, the "Stargazer of Tow Law". Tow Law is a place in County Durham, and this was around 1900. Espin had a 17" telescope initially on the same mount. The 17" mirror survived, albeit it was later ground and polished to a shorter focal length by some ex Grubb-Parsons members, to build a new telescope with it. These folks all passed away, and the 17" is currently with me to get refurbished and finished. Not an easy task, at about 1/2 ton weight.
The 24", which is still in the dome in the video, had been refurbished by the late David Sinden (optician at Grubb Parsons, Newcastle and paramount in making some of the world largest instruments back up to the 1980s, including the 4.2m William Herschel Telescope mirror). It is indeed sad to see the instrument in this sad state, which is caused by a floodlit golf course installed nearby, rendering the observatory useless due to the light pollution. I really hope it can be saved. Dome-wise, at least the dome with the brick laid cylindrical underpart should be saved. It is an Ash Dome, probably about 4m diameter. I know one of those in a planetarium with observatory where I am a volunteer, and these domes are very robust and reliable. I would think this dome should be saved. Maybe together with the 0.6m, if it fits inside.
You know more than me about them haha, it is a shame to see them just left
That soooo angers me that the council ( i assume ? ) allowed a Golf Course to be flood lit ?? For goodness sake why couldn't they meet the astronomers half way and play Golf during day, and leave the darkness of night hours dark for the astronomers ?? Light pollution has gotten wayyy out of hand during the last 30-40 years!!?? It's so unfair...
@@wesleydonnelly2141 It is annoying, really and not the first observatory lost to a golf course (the "Big Ear" radio telescope in the US being another example). But in this case I believe it was private ground, and as the owner changed it was decided to do the floodlighting. I just wonder why the observatory was not relocated, or at least sold or given away instead of being left to fall into this state. But I do not know the full story.
@@juergenschmoll185 Yes it does seem very strange to just leave the Observatory and atleast 1 ( very expensive! ) Telescope to just rot and decay ?? My goodness i would kill for an Observatory and Telescope like these!? At the very least they should have relocated the Telescopes ?? Atleast 1 Telescope was left to rot, and that is just unforgivable...
@@juergenschmoll185 I don't think light pollution affects radio telescopes, but does cell towers, wifi, TV, etc.?
Such a shame to see this , can’t believe they were just abandoned, they don’t look to be in that bad a condition apart from the vandalism , only in the uk would this be allowed to happen ,very sad .
There's a bunch of these in the US too unfortunately. Light pollution creeps in over time and renders them useless. That and you can just, put your observatory in the Canary Islands these days, and remote in. There's three major telescopes near me in ramshackle condition because of the costs involved and no one willing to foot the bill. Why maintain an observatory in a cloudy state when you can just observe at Kitt Peak?
@@dakel20yeah but it's wouldn't be that difficult to move telescopes of that size and almost no cost to build a new hut but seeing the Tec is always getting bigger with better coatings so on they just become obsolete
@@zool8139 oh, the three near me are completely non movable. They're solar telescopes and the tower is an integral part of them. Really, they should be engineering landmarks because it's where modern solar astronomy was created. But everyone's forgotten about it.
Respect for not disclosing the names of these locations, a cool abandoned place near me recently was set on fire and they closed the entire thing off with security cameras and fences, ruined it for everyone
I started off naming places then they started getting trashed nd set on fire, so I don't name anymore
It's almost like you're going back in time but the observatory isn't active anymore since it's been shut down, however a telescope is still in one of the domes which is pretty cool!
Cool find 😎 interesting.. and surprised.. to see the telescope still in the last one 👍
Cheers
A crying shame that these have been abandoned. The astronomical community should be made aware of them via the BAA/RAS. I'm sure that someone would step in to save them. If they are owned by a public body e.g. a university, then they should be named and shamed for not looking after the public investment.
They were owned by Newcastle University, get yourself onto them
In 1969 my old school, Manor Park School on Benton Road in Newcastle, built an observatory on our school field. I have a photo but am not able to post it on here. A few years later it had been removed, it looked very like one of these . . . I wonder??
Interetesting find. I love urbexing, used to be part of the short lived North East Urbex forum years ago. Used to go to st marys alot. Been struggling to find anywhere to go recently, came across your page and love the videos
Cheers loads of places in the North East nd not many explore round here
What a crying shame. Observatories, once busy with the inquiring minds of astronomers, now abandoned and left to die beside the path. One's heart goes out to the souls which surely inhabit this place in spirit. May I urge you Mr Geordie to bring this place to the attention of the Royal Astronomical Society lest it is discovered and abused by less respectful explorers. Best wishes, Ant.
Visited today - it is in good condition, and the spirits are looking after it. I studied with one of them, and I'm sure DGM is there in spirit.
@@LadyCharisWhen did you study Astronomy and Astrophysics? I was 1976-9. DGM taught me too.
@@ianlyon4231 Always lovely to run into someone who knew him! I was there 1991-4.
@@LadyCharisSo I've just realized that he was only about 32 when I first met him, though as I was a new undergraduate he seemed very old to me then! I'm sad to see that he died in 2014, I didn't know until this discussion made me look and find out. Did you continue with your astronomy?
Thanks for sharing. Wow great piece of forgotten history.
Worked 10 years at Sir Howard Grubb Parsons in the R.and D. dept. Very good memories.
were you ever involved in Mirror making ? i was in optical all my working life, 50 years, retired two years ago, making lenses, prisms, mirrors etc, , had a very adventurous career
What a shame... Great video, thanks for sharing
No probs
This video almost brought me to tears. 😢 Because when I was a kid I always dreamed to have my own large telescope and observatory
Over 2 years since I was here and the telescope is still there just left abandoned
@@geordieurbex2200 just wished they would have donated that telescope to any of the astronomical societies of the UK, just like Sir Patrick Moore's telescopes after his death. Even the domes can still be repaired and donated. Such a shame .
Very Interesting find.
Cheers
If there is a local astronomy group near you mayby the scope could be recused and put back to use.
I came across this place the other week such a waste in the bushes . I do have a video of the 3rd dome inside with the telescope
where is this id love to go
What are they doing with the telescope? Do u think it can be used still?
No idea, I can imagine it still works, looks like it's just been left for years
last scope built in the 70s - My bet is light pollution got so bad they couldnt do any Deep Sky observing. It has almost ruined my area (Coastal Alabama and Florida) for my 14 inch reflector. the 70s is when it started.
I have myself a Grubb-Parsons 12 inch mirror, that is half of the 24", from the the Newcastle company. The telescope and mount built by myself weighs almost 100 kg. So it badly needs an observatory, but it won't be this one.. 😟
I'm a telescope enthusiast if I found that I would take that telescope so damn fast😂
Over 2 years since I did this video, the telescope is still there
how was this just left to rot ? Cant it be sold for education or a science center?
Crazy it's still just sitting there with the telescope inside
That's sad to see.
Didn't these used to belong to Newcastle University? Shocking that they haven't looked after them if that's the case?
They did shame
I studied Astronomy And Astrophysics at Newcastle Uni, and some of the Astronomy was done from these observatories. Fond memories.
Do you mean you studied here?
@@splitfancycake9069 Yes, I did.
Was the 24" mirror still there or removed?
No idea haha
get them up and going again well find out if you can what waste like all the best thanks for sharing...
you can claim the observatories
i have seen these years ago i am surprised the telescope is still there
Please could you tell me.where is it? Thank.you
Sorry I don't give places out
And here i am dying to get one
Observatories always look creepy ,even new ones.
Weirdo
Nice
Part of my playground as a kid
Shame it's just left, telescope still inside aswell
Does this telescope have the mirror?
Didn't see it
Hello un petit coucou de France : très bonne vidéo, ou est ce site astronomique merci beaucoup pour la réponse
@+
Those poor buildings and gear need some love and to be restored for amateur astronomers to use and value again....
Shame these are still just sitting there, telescope still there aswell
Where is this?
Can you name of the observatory telescope?
Sorry not saying where it is
Love all that to go to a school 🏫 then obviously all back to working order, I was interested in science so that's how I ended up in my career being a scientist ❤ with an interest in astronomy as a amateur
Na bro I would had taken that and fix it up this history behind this is crazy
Good luck carrying that on your back, and I'm not a thief 😂
Very sad.
Great find, where are these?
If they were on my property I would have found the money to bring them back to life
what's with the claw marks LOL?
No idea haha
Someone has liberated the mirror 🪞 hope it's been put to good use amazing old telescope
the telescope is like 50k
Need some big muscles to carry that haha
where are these?
Gather some ppl and resore it.plz
they could easily be restored shame nobody is interested
I no its mad, telescope got to be worth a few quid aswell, no one cares though
You a Geordie or is that just your name
I'm a geordie
@@geordieurbex2200 I'm in Ashington. Someone has to live here...
@@64SKELL haha I'm in blyth not much better
The accent doesn't give it away? ;)
@@LadyCharis Not to me because my accent is much broader than that. I'm15 miles out side of Newcastle.so i hear much broader Geordie accents.he sounds almost Cockney to me ha ha...
Trespass much?
Public path my friend
@@geordieurbex2200 which is why it has a locked gate you have to navigate to gain access my friend
@@joecool8005 other side public bridleway, I know the laws(or lack of laws) for trespass