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Gallery - The Athenaeum observatory

This gallery of pictures taken by AAA Chair, Dr Richard Young, shows the Victorian telescope and observatory based in Bury St Edmunds' historical Athenaeum building on Angel Hill.

One of the main aims of the AAA is to restore this wonderful part of our heritage so that it can be returned to public use.

Entrance to the observatory staircase

Entrance to the observatory staircase, inside the Athenaeum building

Climbing the staircase

Climbing the staircase

Halfway there! Looking back from the first landing

Halfway there! Looking back from the first landing

The final ascent!

The final ascent!

Through the trapdoor

Through the trapdoor

Old star charts still on display!

Old star charts still on display!

The Victorian Troughton & Simms 4-inch refractor telescope

The Victorian Troughton & Simms 4-inch refractor telescope

And from the other side!

And from the other side!

Part of the clockwork alignment system

Part of the clockwork drive system

Detail from the telescope mount

Detail from the telescope mount

The telescope eyepiece

The telescope eyepiece

Set of eyepieces in original oak box

Set of eyepieces in original oak box

Telescope aperture with red observatory window in background (to preserve night-vision)

Telescope aperture with red observatory port-hole in background (to preserve night-vision)

The Athenaeum flagpole from the observatory hatch

The Athenaeum flagpole from the observatory hatch

Roof with a view!

Roof with a view!

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