USNO Refracting Telescope Observatory

The most recognized refracting telescope observatory – more popular then any other astronomical telescope and refracting telescope observatories in the United States and the world is that of the US Naval Observatory (USNO).

The US Naval Observatory is a very reliable authority in navigation and fundamental astronomy.

Thu US Naval Observatory is proud of its 26 inches (66 centimeters) refracting telescope. Students, visitors, tourists, stargazers can check on the astronomical telescope and facilities of the observatory as it is open to the public.

This famous astronomical telescope observatory was made and constructed by the firm Alvan Clark & Sons in 1873 and is originally located in the Foggy Bottom District of Washington DC. During that time, the astronomical telescope observatory was considered as having the world’s largest refracting telescope.

The owner of the firm, Alvan Clark, is a well-known astronomer and scientist. Aside from the refracting telescope of the US Naval Observatory, his telescope and lens making firm also ground lenses for the refracting telescope of the Yerkes Observatory, as well as that of the Lick Observatory.

Some of the more important scientific and astronomical achievements made with the USNO astronomical telescope observatory is the discovery by Asaph Hall, an American astronomer, of the planet Mars’ two moons in 1877, which were consequently named Phobos and Deimos.