Currently in our two observatories there is a 20 inch Planewave CDK20 telescope named πCETL in one observatory & a 12 inch Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope in the other. It is one of the UK’s largest and most advanced astronomical teaching facilities. The details for both of the telescopes and the CCD camera on the Planewave telescope can be found below.



Large Observatory (πCETL Telescope)

Optical design Corrected Dall-Kirkham
Aperture size 20-inch (508mm)
Focal length 3454mm
Focal Ratio f/6.8

This telescope is used for visual observing, astrophotography, and astrometry, having both a 2in eyepiece receptacle and a camera mounting point. The camera is a monochrome Moravian instruments G3-11000 CCD with a OnSemi KAI-11002 sensor with 9 by 9 micron pixels and a full well capacity of roughly 60,000 e-. Its sensor is 4032(H) by 2688(W) pixels. There are currently 4 out of 5 filters fitted, and these are B, V, R and I standard astronomy filters.

Small Observatory

Optical design Schmidt-Cassiegrain Catadioptric
Aperture size 12-inch (305mm)
Focal length 3048mm
Focal Ratio f/10

The small observatory is used for visual astronomy and training students.