Dr. Greiner, is shown above with the "Greiner Research Observatory" (GRO).

This building with a roll off roof is a joint venture with several Madison area friends. The observatory contains a Paramount ME4000 mount which carries a 16" LXR Optical Tube Assembly and a 130 mm f 6 TMB OTA. There are two SBIG STL CCD cameras. One, an STL1001 with 24 micron pixels on the 16" "R" scope for asteroid, nova and comet searches and an STL11000 camera on the TMB telescope for general purpose imaging. The entire observatory is controlled remotely via the internet. It is operated from the homes of the five observatory GRO Team members. Detailed descriptions of the observatory building and equipment as well as technical operations can be found here.
GRO Observatory

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Dr. Greiner, shown above with the "Doc G" observatory, is Emeritus Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

This roll-off building with a 12" LX200 telescope and accessories was donated to the Madison Astronomical Society by Dr. R. A. Greiner in June of 1996.  When rolled back, a windbreak remains which is supplied with various shelves for computers and accessories as well as a comfortable place to sit to operate the telescope locally from the computer. The telescope is also remotely controllable, by computer, from the nearby clubhouse.

In addition to the Meade 12" LX200 telescope in the DocG observatory, there is a second domed building shown in its most recent incarnation below.   The recently rebuilt ten foot building sports a new Pro Dome installed in June 2001.  The photo shows the installation of the dome almost completed.  The Pro Dome with full automation using Digital Dome Works and a second Meade 12" LX200 telescope will be operational in September 2001.  The Pro Dome, the LX200 telecope and numerous accessories were donated to the MAS by Dr. Greiner.
 

The MAS now has two computer controlled telescopes which can be operated from the nearby club house.
Additionally there is a 17" Dobsonian in a roll-off building and a 16" CAT.  The 16" CAT is a long focal length,  7900 mm,  f19 designed mainly for planetary observation.  The club house is a large all season building used for meetings and additional equipment.  It is heated and air conditioned.  The dark site is  the Yanna Research Station located near Brooklyn, Wisconsin about 30 miles South of Madison, Wisconsin.  It is owned and operated by the Madison Astronomical Society.

More Pictures of the Doc G Observatory

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