I have read articles over the years and heard stories about great telescopes in America for one reason or another, sit idle. Some of these telescopes are classic and very old, but still worthy of great things. 

However, some are relatively new and computer controlled, but for reasons, and some very good reasons are no longer used. The following telescope is in an observatory that was “built in a bad location, dedicated in 1990” on-campus of Gardner-Webb University. However, at the time the observatory was built, this area was actually pretty dark.

I can’t be certain how much this telescope is currently being used, but with so many high intensity lights in close proximity, anything serious or noteworthy would be extremely difficult.

This is a serious research grade telescope with a Paramount GoTo mount and was a donation from Dr. James Herman, MD. The value of the telescope and mount at that time was near ~$75,000.

The observatory is now “unfortunately” surrounded by multiple soccer fields, a baseball field, and multiple tennis courts with a massive number of incredibly very bright LED lighting, so very close.  And many of the athletic fields will often have their stadium lights on, at times well beyond midnight or longer. However, It would have been impossible for anyone at the time the observatory was built to know there would be so much growth in the area, and with eventually so much light pollution.

Unfortunately, the same thing has happened to many observatories throughout the country in the past 50 or so years.  And with the increase and proliferation of high-wattage LED lighting, there are very few dark sites left, especially in the US. But also in the world.

The following telescope sits idle on top of a famous mountain in Southern Nevada, but unfortunately now, the club that owns it has lost access, due to a land sale. This telescope was also a donation by Dr. James Herman, MD. I helped facilitate the donation and logistics of the move.

I’ve suggested to the club officers of the Las Vegas Astronomical Society: The telescope, mount and all salvageable domes and anything else related, should be brought down off the mountain, and put into storage. And then attempting to find a suitable and long-term site.

I was fortunate to be able to play a role in the Mount Potosi Observing Complex in Southern Nevada, facilitating the ~$50,000 telescope donation.

The facility was featured in the February 2016 Astronomy Magazine, the Las Vegas Review Journal, the LA Times, and other publications and media.   

Click on the following link to read the story of this telescope in Astronomy Magazine, which was and still is the largest astronomy related publication in the world.

https://rogerivester.com/category/mount-potosi-observing-complex-in-southern-nevada

Note: The road to the top of Mount Potosi is listed as one of the most dangerous roads in Nevada. The mountain is “infamous” due to the Carol Lombard DC-3 plane crash in 1941.

Interested in hiking to the crash site? https://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/Lombard/_Lombard.htm