ASNH Receives Frank Burnham Telescope

Dear members of The Astronomical Society of New Haven,

On Tuesday, February 16, 2021 I received a phone call from a Brent Nielson, who introduced himself as the great grandson of Frank Burnham, the co-founder with Don Kimball of The Astronomical Society of New Haven, CT back in 1937. He reported he was moving to Orange, CT from West Haven and was wondering if our Society would like to acquire his great grandfathers telescope? I immediately replied, Yes! Arrangements were made and on Thursday, February 25, 2021 I picked it up in my van.

Along with a very heavy pier equatorial mounting, also received at this time was a wooden box of 4 very antique eyepieces, a handwritten pocket booklet, in very small lettering, of selected astronomical facts that he must have made reference to when needed. There was a magazine article with his picture in it using the Broecker Telescope, in the “dome” at Bethany, to show sunspots. It is noted in the article that the lens for the Broecker was formerly from a telescope used at the U. S. Naval Observatory! Also, there was a 33 rpm vinyl record of him speaking of things astronomical and finally an official club document of condolence, signed by Mr. Elmer Wright, the 15th president of the ASNH (whose homemade telescope the club also possesses) to the Burnham family on his passing.

Mr. Burnham was a New Haven businessman and the first member of the Society to make a telescope. It is an 8” Newtonian reflector with a prism secondary. Its length is 67,” making it about an f/8. Plans have been enacted for the club to construct a Dobsonian mount to use it on.

Mr Burnham was the 2nd president of The Astronomical Society of New Haven and served in that capacity from June 1940 to May 1942 as well as many other club positions over the years.

Mr. Burnham died on September 30th, 1965 at the age of 88 years, 11 months and 5 days.

Mr. Frank Burnham will be remembered!

Respectfully submitted 5/4/2021,
Alfred G. Washburn, past president, ASNH