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"Rachel", Weight: 7000 lbs. & Length: 31 ft, Coming to her New Home in the Oakland Hills

OAKLAND (March 16, 2000) -- The new Chabot Space & Science Center will be installing its 85-year-old 20-inch telescope (Rachel) in her newly completed domed building on Saturday, March 18 at 1:00 pm.

In 1915, Rachel established a following in the Bay Area when she was displayed at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. After the close of the Exposition in 1915, she was installed at the Chabot Observatory for the public’s use.

Rachel’s lens is a 2-element, 20-inches in diameter telescope with a focal length of 28 feet. The moving portion weighs 3000 pounds and is over 31 feet long with the pivot point about 18 feet above floor level.

While repaired during the 50’s, a complete renovation was begun in 1999. Each section of the telescope was completely dismantled and all of the pieces cleaned and restored. The tube and major castings were sand blasted, then defects filled in before painting. Over 100 brass parts, many of which had been painted over, have been cleaned, polished, and lacquered. So far more than 2000 volunteer hours have gone into the project.

Why named Rachel? The choice of name is best told by a newspaper article of the time. Jacob, according to Genesis, who was married to Leah, waited seven years for Rachel, who was not of age, and then married her. Professor Charles Burckhalter, Oakland's astronomer, waited 27 years for a new telescope and, in the meantime, had to be satisfied with an existing 8-inch one named Leah. According to Burckhalter, "different from the Bible story, this 'Leah' will not be discarded with the advent of 'Rachel,' but side by side will be used.

When the new telescope was finally installed in 1916, Burckhalter and optic designer John Brashear placed a brass nameplate with the inscription "Rachel" on the north side of the 20-inch's pier.

This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for capturing and recording Bay Area history in the making.

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