Milwaukee Astronomical Society

 

Historical Archive 1980-1989

Z Dome Construction

The building of the Z Dome and the Z-Scope were easily the most complicated construction projects ever taken on by the MAS. Ground breaking occurred on Astronomy Day, April 26, 1980. The entire project was headed by Gerry Samolyk. The building was designed to accommodate a 22-foot dome which was sitting unused at the Delco Plant in Oak Creek and house a 26-inch Cassegrain Reflector built ourselves. But as the building base was nearly completed in the fall of 1980, we were informed that Delco would not honor their promise to donate the dome. With no other option available, we would design and fabricate the dome ourselves and have to do it "in place."

The building is a testament to the Milwaukee Astronomical Society and its membership, and no more so than to Gerry Samolyk, our Observatory Director from 1980-2013.

Chris Hesseltine - May 1980. Pouring the pier base.

Chris Hesseltine - May 20, 1980. Pouring the pier base.

May 24, 1980 - First weekend laying block

May 24, 1980 - First weekend laying block

Early masonry work

May 24, 1980 - First weekend laying block

Early masonry work

May 24, 1980 - First weekend laying block

June 1980 - Second weekend laying block

June 7, 1980 - Second weekend laying block

Mixing the mud

June 7, 1980 - Mixing mud. Left: Jim Toeller, Right: Gene Hanson, Back: John Asztalos

June 1980 - Fanson & Hesseltine

June 7, 1980 - Right: Jim Fanson Left: Chris Hesseltine

June 1980 - Ray Zit

June 7, 1980 - Ray Zit

Jim Fanson's Z Dome Construction Pictures

Click/tap here to see the nearly 90 pictures of the Z Dome construction taken by Jim Fanson over the 4 weekends all the block was laid.

Masonry Crew

July 1980 - The Crew. From left: Gerry Samolyk, Brian Ganiere, Gene Hanson, John Asztalos, Jim Fanson, Chris Hesseltine

July 1980 - Jim Fanson

July 1980 - Jim Fanson

July 1980 - Gene Hanson

July 1980 - Gene Hanson

1980 - Beverage Check

June 1980 - Gerry Samolyk & John Asztalos. Beverage check.

1980 - Gerry Samolyk and Gene Hanson

July 1980 - Gene Hanson throwing blocks to Gerry Samolyk

Sept 1980 - Gerry Samolyk on beam

July 1980 - Gerry Samolyk

1980 - Jim Fanson & Gerry Samolyk

Sept 1980 - Jim Fanson and Gerry Samolyk

Sept 1980 - Chris Hesseltine, Gerry Samolyk, and Jim Fanson

Sept 1980 - Chris Hesseltine at beam. Gerry Samolyk & Jim Fanson in background.

Oct 1980 - John Asztalos

October 1980 - John Asztalos

1981 - Gerry Samolyk on Tractor

August 1981 - Gerry Samolyk

Sept 1981 - Bill Tuerck & Gerry Samolyk

Sept 1981 - Bill Tuerck & Gerry Samolyk

1981 - On the roof

1981 - Leroy Simandl, John Asztalos, Jim Toeller, Brian Ganiere, Chris Hesseltine

Nov 1981 - Gerry Samolyk

Nov 1981 - Gerry Samolyk

1981 - Dome before sunset

Nov 1981 - Dome skeleton before sunset

November 1981 - Dome work

Nov 1981 - Dome work

Nov 1981 - Dome work at night

Nov 1981 - Dome work at night

Nov 1981 - Gerry Samolyk, first skin on Z Dome

Nov. 14, 1981 - Gerry Samolyk, first skin applied

1982-83, Dome Slit

Work on dome slit

Nov 1981 - Applying the skins

Nov 14, 1981- Applying the skins

1980 - Milwaukee Needs a New Observatory

Milwaukee Needs A New Observatory. 1980 appeal for support for the 26 inch project.

 

Z Scope Construction

1982 - Lifting the Z Scope base

1982 - Lifting the Z Scope base.

1982 - Gerry Samolyk

May 1982 - Gerry Samolyk

1982 - Gerry Samolyk

May 1982 - Gerry Samolyk at the grinder

1982 - Paul Borchardt

May 1982 - Paul Borchardt at the lathe

1982 - Lifting the Right Ascension ring

1982 - Lifting the Right Ascension ring. Gerry Samolyk & Paul Borchardt

1983 - Virgil Tangney

August 1983 - Virgil Tangney

1983 - Gerry Samolyk and John Asztalos

April 1983 - 26" Mirror completed. Gerry Samolyk & John Asztalos

1983 - Gerry Samolyk and Chris Hesseltine

April 1983 - Gerry Samolyk & Chris Hesseltine

Z-Scope in 1984

Z-Scope in 1984.

 

AAVSO Spring Meeting - May 1982

Ray Zit 1982

Ray Zit along with Janet Mattei (Director, AAVSO) at the base of the Zemlock Telescope mount.

MAS Observatory Tour - AAVSO Spring Meeting

Tour of the observatory. Frank Roldan, Chris Hesseltine, Dave Williams, Marv Baldwin, and Gerry Samolyk

AAVSO 1982 Spring Meeting Group Photo

AAVSO Spring Meeting Group Picture

AAVSO Spring Meeting - Group Photo Key

Group picture key

1986 Tour of the Observatory Facilites

Click/tap here to see 57 pictures of the MAS observatory as it looked in 1986.

 

Miscellaneous

MAS Observatory 1988

MAS Observatory grounds around 1988.

Ed, Gerry, Bill, and Walter

Ed Halbach, Gerry Samolyk, Bill Albrecht, and Walter Scott Houston at the 1986 AAVSO Spring Meeting.

John Asztalos at 1988 Astrofest with his 12.5 reflector

John Asztalos at the 1988 Astrofest with the 12.5 reflector he built.

Orion Nebula - John Asztalos

Orion Nebula from the observatory using Glaser, E400, ~15 min. exposure. 1986. Photo by John Asztalos.

John Asztalos posing with the newly refurbished B-Scope. 
			1984.

John Asztalos posing with the newly refurbished B-Scope. 1984.

At Greenbush, 1984.

At Greenbush, July 1980. Mary Zit, Richard Berry, Jim Toeller, Ray Zit (partially seen), unknown, unknown, Frank Roldan.

Doc, Aris, and John

July 1981 Open House - Richard "Doc" Wiesen, Aris Penakis, and John Wiesen.

October, 1988

Greenbush -October, 1988. Mike Wolkomir, Pete Smitka, Paul Borchardt, Judy Pope.

Richard Berry with his 20 inch Dobsonian

Richard Berry with his 20 inch Dobsonian he built. Greenbush, August 1984.

John Wiesen at Greenbush, August

John Wiesen at Greenbush, August

John Wiesen and Pete Smitka at GMNP, May 1985

John Wiesen and Pete Smitka at GMNP, May 1985

Pete Smitka at UW Washburn, 1989.

Pete Smitka at UW Washburn, Spring, 1989.

Bill Albrecht at his telescope and observatory on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Bill Albrecht at his telescope in Hawaii.

MAS Observatory before the 1984 ALCON convention

The MAS Observatory before the ALCON 1984 convention.