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 20, 1980. Pouring the pier base.
May 24, 1980 - First weekend laying block
May 24, 1980 - First weekend laying block
May 24, 1980 - First weekend laying block
June 7, 1980 - Second weekend laying block
June 7, 1980 - Mixing mud. Left: Jim Toeller, Right: Gene Hanson, Back: John Asztalos
June 7, 1980 - Right: Jim Fanson Left: Chris Hesseltine
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.
July 1980 - The Crew. From left: Gerry Samolyk, Brian Ganiere, Gene Hanson, John Asztalos, Jim Fanson, Chris Hesseltine
July 1980 - Jim Fanson
July 1980 - Gene Hanson
June 1980 - Gerry Samolyk & John Asztalos. Beverage check.
July 1980 - Gene Hanson throwing blocks to Gerry Samolyk
July 1980 - Gerry Samolyk
Sept 1980 - Jim Fanson and Gerry Samolyk
Sept 1980 - Chris Hesseltine at beam. Gerry Samolyk & Jim Fanson in background.
October 1980 - John Asztalos
August 1981 - Gerry Samolyk
Sept 1981 - Bill Tuerck & Gerry Samolyk
1981 - Leroy Simandl, John Asztalos, Jim Toeller, Brian Ganiere, Chris Hesseltine
Nov 1981 - Gerry Samolyk
Nov 1981 - Dome skeleton before sunset
Nov 1981 - Dome work
Nov 1981 - Dome work at night
Nov. 14, 1981 - Gerry Samolyk, first skin applied
Work on dome slit
Nov 14, 1981- Applying the skins
Milwaukee Needs A New Observatory. 1980 appeal for support for the 26 inch project.
Z Scope Construction
1982 - Lifting the Z Scope base.
May 1982 - Gerry Samolyk
May 1982 - Gerry Samolyk at the grinder
May 1982 - Paul Borchardt at the lathe
1982 - Lifting the Right Ascension ring. Gerry Samolyk & Paul Borchardt
August 1983 - Virgil Tangney
April 1983 - 26" Mirror completed. Gerry Samolyk & John Asztalos
April 1983 - Gerry Samolyk & Chris Hesseltine
Z-Scope in 1984.
AAVSO Spring Meeting - May 1982
Ray Zit along with Janet Mattei (Director, AAVSO) at the base of the Zemlock Telescope mount.
Tour of the observatory. Frank Roldan, Chris Hesseltine, Dave Williams, Marv Baldwin, and Gerry Samolyk
AAVSO Spring Meeting Group Picture
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 grounds around 1988.
Ed Halbach, Gerry Samolyk, Bill Albrecht, and Walter Scott Houston at the 1986 AAVSO Spring Meeting.
John Asztalos at the 1988 Astrofest with the 12.5 reflector he built.
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.
At Greenbush, July 1980. Mary Zit, Richard Berry, Jim Toeller, Ray Zit (partially seen), unknown, unknown, Frank Roldan.
July 1981 Open House - Richard "Doc" Wiesen, Aris Penakis, and John Wiesen.
Greenbush -October, 1988. Mike Wolkomir, Pete Smitka, Paul Borchardt, Judy Pope.
Richard Berry with his 20 inch Dobsonian he built. Greenbush, August 1984.
John Wiesen at Greenbush, August
John Wiesen and Pete Smitka at GMNP, May 1985
Pete Smitka at UW Washburn, Spring, 1989.
Bill Albrecht at his telescope in Hawaii.
The MAS Observatory before the ALCON 1984 convention.