Meridian Circle Telescope

The Coudé Meridian Circle of Starke was manufactured in 1862 at the Vienna Polytechnic. It has an aperture of 7.75 cm and a focal length of 95 cm. It was used for precise measurement of sidereal time, by observing the culmination of stars and other celestial objects – i.e. the exact moment when they pass across the local meridian.