Thanks to the generosity of Mary Loraine Brinton and her family, a beautiful Meade LX200 12" ACF telescope on an Astro-Physics mount has been donated to Makemie Woods to enhance our program and to reach out to neighboring schools, communities, and organizations.  If you are interested in receiving notices about future open observing sessions using the Brinton telescope, please e-mail Mike Burcher.  Open observing sessions are free to the public.  Email Mike if you would like to inquire about private sessions.

Named in memory of Henry Brinton, a NASA astronomer for 40 years and member of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, this telescope will carry on his passion for making star-gazing available to children of all ages, so that they can see with their own eyes the glorious universe God has created.  Not only will Makemie Woods campers and visitors see first hand the vastness of God's creation, the program will be designed to inspire youth to pursue excellence in their studies.  

Focusing primarily on visual astronomy, the Brinton Observatory will be integrated into the summer camp program and other activities at Makemie Woods.  From the planets and other solar system objects to the stars and galaxies beyond, the telescope will afford observers the opportunity to see the night sky in detail far beyond what is observable via the unaided eye.

For advanced observers, a program is being planned to utilize the observatory for scientific observations including photometric studies of the magnitude of objects and spectroscopic studies of the chemical composition of objects.  The telescope is a Schmidt-Cassegrain design with Advanced Coma-Free optics.  This design uses a combination of mirrors and lenses to create a focal length far greater than actual length of the tube.  Thus the Makemie Woods telescope could be compared to a telescope 10 feet in length. 

A grant from the Mather Foundation has greatly enhanced the observatory's capabilities.   A selection of eyepieces will allow us to view objects at 600X magnification, and automation will enable the dome to be operated remotely for research.  Soon you will be able to visit our website, and see what the telescope is seeing.  Dr. John Mather, a Nobel Laureate in astrophysics, spoke at the observatory dedication in November 2008.

Watch our upcoming events page for opportunities to see the stars through this instrument at Makemie Woods.  The NASA Skywatchers Club has partnered with the camp to provide observing opportunities with a wide range of telescopes operated by amateur astronomers.  In addition to the observatory, there are 6 level concrete pads with electricity for portable telescopes.  To set up an opportunity for your group or school to use the telescope, contact Mike Burcher.