The largest telescope in the AACC observatory is up and running again after breaking down about a year ago.
The lens, which has a diameter of 14 inches, was inoperable because of a broken gearbox in the mount, which prevented it from aligning with objects in the sky.
The roof of the observatory on East Campus also was repaired after being unable to open for about three weeks.
“The 14-inch coming back … will definitely improve the experience for anyone taking an astronomy class,” second-year astronomy and physics student Zoe Brunton said.
The telescope’s diameter is three inches more than the next-largest in the AACC observatory, which houses five other telescopes.
Professors use the telescope for astronomy labs, and the student Super Science Club uses it for “star parties.”
Brunton, who does social media for the club, said the large telescope “lets AACC take observing to a whole new level. You can see so much more. You can see so much clearer. You can see so much better. … It really sets us apart.”
Deborah Levine, an astronomy professor and a faculty adviser for the Super Science Club, agreed that the 14-inch model “does give a more detailed view. It does allow us to observe some things that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to.”