Altazimuth Telescope

An altazimuth is a telescope designed to measure the altitude and azimuth of a star in order to fix its position in the night sky. The instrument is designed to move vertically to measure altitude (height), and to move horizontally to measure the azimuth (degrees horizontally from North). This was one of the instruments purchased for the first observatory on campus. Built by T. Cooke & Sons of York, England, the altazimuth instrument was designed to be portable and had its own carrying case.