| Jones Observatory | |
|---|---|
| Organization | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga |
| Location | Chattanooga, Tennessee (USA) |
| Website www.utc.edu/Academic/JonesObservatory/ |
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Clarence T. Jones Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. It is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee (USA). The building was completed in 1936, and opened in 1938. Construction of the observatory and telescope were funded by a Public Works Administration grant for the students of Chattanooga's public schools at the urging of prominent local astronomer Clarence T. Jones. It was later leased to the University of Chattanooga during World War II. The telescope is a Cassegrain reflector type with a 20.5" (52 cm) primary mirror. The mirror is one of many made by Corning Incorporated as a part of the research that allowed the pouring of the 200" mirror for the Hale telescope.
The observatory has several nights of public lessons and viewing between the months of October and April.