Observatory Purgatory

Dr. Cwillich, Dr. Otway, and Lenny Brandwein scoping out the observatory

This year, looking up at the heavens was supposed to take on a new meaning at Yeshiva College. Unfortunately, the astronomical observatory that was slated for placement atop Belfer Hall by the fall of last year has been held up by numerous logistical and financial problems.

Last year, the estate of the late Mr. Abbosh, an avid amateur astronomer, appropriated funds for Yeshiva University to purchase a telescope and dome. The $25,000 donation was set aside by Mr. Abbosh’s estate specifically for the purchase of a telescope and any accompanying equipment needed. An advanced digitally controlled refractor telescope was purchased, along with a dome to house the equipment.

Over the summer, YC Physics Professors Cwillich and Kaplan assembled the telescope and tested the digital controls, readying the telescope for its expected installation. They intended, along with Dean Adler, to have the telescope up and running by the Fall Semester, with hopes of offering an introductory Astronomy class utilizing the telescope for lab sections. The College prominently featured these intentions in a pamphlet of upcoming attractions at YU.

These hopes slowly dissipated as it became apparent that the installation of the telescope on the roof of Belfer Hall posed daunting engineering problems. Because of safety concerns, it would not be possible for students to have direct access to Belfer’s roof where the dome and telescope would be situated. This problem was meant to be solved with the use of a remote control device, allowing the telescope to be partly controlled from the confines of a room on the 16th floor, where the captured images would be displayed on computer monitors.

Dr. Cwillich noted, however, that certain operations, such as rotating the dome, could only be done on the rooftop, severely limiting student control. In addition to this, Cwillich explained that a wall surrounding the roof of Belfer would necessitate the construction of a suitable platform on which to rest the dome. As of yet, no plan for such construction has been devised.

Contributing to these problems facing the observatory, are financial concerns that arise from the legal constraints attached to the donation. The Abbosh estate insists that the donated funds were only to be used for the purchase of telescope equipment. This means that the money can only be used to fund any necessary construction for the installation of the telescope. In compliance with the estate's guidelines, a telescope was purchased with the whole of the Abbosh endowment. This left no funds for other expenses of installation and has further delayed telescope operation. Until sufficient funding is available for the construction complications, the working telescope will remain without a home.

According to Cwillich, the technical work to get the telescope in operation has been completed, but the last remaining step of proper installation poses a barrier preventing the implementation of Astronomy as a course in the YC curriculum. With hopes of possible joint ventures with other observatories in the area, the observatory project stands as an exciting possible addition to current YC course offerings. Cwillich and other faculty involved in the project remain confident that a solution will arise and additional funding will become available. Until then, however, the telescope will continue to collect dust on the floor of a Belfer Hall lab, waiting for the opportunity to open up the skies above Washington Heights.