FBAC's NEW EAST DOME MAIN TELESCOPE and MOUNT CAMPAIGN
FBAC has a goal of raising $51,000 to replace both the telescope and mount in the East Dome at the Houston Museum of Natural Science at the George Observatory.
For over 30 years, FBAC has performed public STEM education, outreach, and scientific research at the Houston Museum of Natural Science George Observatory. We have done this work using our club-owned 18-inch-aperture telescope, which is housed in the observatory's East Dome. We have discovered over 300 asteroids with this telescope and we have introduced over 200,000+ people to the wonders of the sky and other aspects of science. About 80% adults, and 20% grade school age.
Old age can be such a pain... for astronomy equipment, that is!
Our ability to continue our outreach efforts at the George Observatory beyond the next few years is uncertain. Our 18-in. telescope, which is the key to our efforts at the observatory, is aging. The rate of necessary repairs is increasing. What makes this situation worse is that the telescope was a custom design and construction and the original manufacturers are no longer in business! Because of these things, the telescope is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain.
We are helping ourselves, but we need your help, too!
The club is working to address this problem. We started a project, called the New East Dome Main Telescope and Mount Project, to replace the current telescope with a commercially-sourced, maintainable telescope of similar size and superior capabilities to our current equipment. Acquiring the new telescope will enable us to perform our public STEM education, outreach, and scientific research work at the George Observatory for many more years. As of December 2023, we've generated over $14,500 from club member donations and other sources. These club fundraising efforts will continue; however, we need your support to ensure we can acquire the necessary funds within our planned 5-year acquisition period.
Contributions can be made by:
1 - Check made out to “Fort Bend Astronomy Club” and Mailed to FBAC, P.O. Box 942, Stafford, Texas 77497, or
2 - FBAC PayPal or Zelle at fbac.treasurer@gmail.com
Please help spread the word! Please point your friends to this page, to enable them to contribute should they decide to do so.
Together, we can enable great things to happen! FBAC thanks you for your support!
These tax deductable donations benefit FBAC, an educational based non-profit 501-3c organization. We are not affiliated with the Houston Museum of Natural Science, but we have a long-standing agreement with the Museum that enables us to house our larger equipment, such as the club's current 18-in. telescope, within the George Observatory's East Dome.
A PDF version of these slides maybe found here New East Dome Telescope and Mount
