Merz Telescope

This telescope, manufactured by the famous Merz firm of Munich, has an aperture of 10 cm and a focal length of 1.5 m, with an equatorial mount. Inscribed on the tube is G. Merz & Söhne in München. It is one of the telescopes that was acquired from the estate of the Marquis Montecuccoli by Fr. Denza in 1888. It was originally set up in the dome atop the Tower of the Winds (position 6 on the aerial photograph of the Vatican) but was moved to the small dome on the half-tower (position 2) in 1907, as shown here with the technician Carlo Diadori. Fr. Hagen used this telescope to re-observe the colors of stars originally observed at the Roman College, 70 years earlier. Today the telescope is located in the entryway of the Vatican Observatory main offices.