Keele Observatory founder returns to mark 50th anniversary
- Published
The Observatory first opened in 1962 thanks to the efforts of Dr Ron Maddison
The founder of a Staffordshire university's observatory has returned to help celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Dr Ron Maddison laid the first stone in the foundation of the Keele University building that was opened in 1962.
The observatory's first director also acquired its refractor telescope from Oxford University where it had first been installed in the 19th Century.
Dr Maddison came over from his home in the US to take part in the events to mark the observatory's special date.
Recalling how he managed to pick up the Grubb telescope, Dr Maddison said: "Oxford University was embarrassed because they'd run out of space and they had this telescope up on the third floor and the pillar holding it went through two floors of offices.
"The message went out that there could be a telescope available and I thought this was an act of God almost because we were looking for something like that."