The value of a new mammoth telescope at Stansbury Park Observatory Complex is “priceless,” according to its builder Mike Clements.
His telescope sports a 70-inch mirror and is 35 feet long, making it possibly the largest amateur telescope in the world, he said.
“The value is priceless considering it may spark a lot of interest in astronomy for young people who come out here to look through it,” Clements said.
The Salt Lake Astronomical Society hosted a first look at the Clements Telescope and the new Kolob Observatory that houses it during a ribbon- cutting ceremony Saturday afternoon. After the ribbon cutting, the telescope was brought out onto a circular concrete pad for observation. People were also invited to look through it later that night at a star party.
“Mike has combined his craziness and his genius to build the telescope,” said SLAS president Roger Fry. “Instead of using high-tech computer programs to design the telescope, he used popsicle sticks.”
Clements said he first designed the telescope in his head while driving back and forth through Utah and Idaho on Interstates 15 and 80.
A major breakthrough came when he obtained a satellite telescope mirror 70 inches across that weighed 900 pounds, Fry said.
The mirror was a device used during the Cold War for a spy satellite.
“There was a chip in the corner, so the government didn’t want to send it into space,” Fry said. “It went to a warehouse, eventually went up for sale and an individual bought it at an auction.”
Clements said the telescope was completed in 2013 and he has used it many times.
“I’ve always been fascinated with stars and telescopes,” he said. “It’s my passion, and passion is powerful.”
The telescope was housed in a friend’s building in Herriman before it was moved to Stansbury Park.
The land for the new telescope and Kolob Observatory was acquired in a 50-year lease agreement with the Stansbury Park Service Agency. SLAS will pay $10 per year and provide upkeep and access to facilities throughout the duration of the lease.
SPOC is located off Stansbury Parkway near the Stansbury Park Improvement District offices and baseball complex. It is open to the public and hosts star parties from spring through fall.
Fry thanked the Tooele County Commission for their support and a $25,000 tourism grant that helped pay for the Kolob Observatory, which cost $58,000. The rest of the funds to pay for the building came from donations, other grants and SLAS funds.
The next star party at SPOC is set for Saturday. It begins at dusk and ends at 11 p.m. For more star party information, see slas.us.