A marriage of art and science, the Porter Garden Telescope was conceived as a superb optical instrument, beautiful Art Nouveau bronze sculpture, and working sundial. \u00a0Designed in 1923 by Russell \u00a0Porter of MIT, it was a model for the 200 inch Hale telescope, and found its way to the Smithsonian. Telescopes of Vermont has resurrected this unique and clever design, adding superior modern optics \u00a0and the ability to adjust them with a laser. A reflecting telescope, its familiar tube has \u00a0become a ginger leaf which holds the optics. Those optics lift out in seconds, leaving a graceful sculpture which remains outdoors permanently as a distinctive centerpiece in a garden. With the optics removed, its novel interactive sundial function makes it a wonderful educational tool for youngsters, demonstrating the relationship between time and solar position.
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