Feature
Restoring a Century-Old Zeiss Refractor
After a hundred-year journey and a restoration that revived its precision, a 1923 Zeiss refractor still serves sky watchers in Belgrade.
Aerial view of the observing platform atop Dizdar Tower in Belgrade Fortress. The gray metallic enclosure houses the 1923 Zeiss 110/2040 mm Type A refractor, stowed during the day to preserve the tower’s historic appearance. [Courtesy of Astronomical Society “Rudjer Bošković”]
Belgrade Fortress stands on a high promontory above the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers in Belgrade, Serbia. Inside the fortress is Dizdareva Kula (Dizdar Tower), whose foundations date back to the Middle Ages. Today this structure houses the Belgrade Public Observatory. On clear evenings, a large metallic box on the platform is opened, and a long, elegant telescope is pointed toward the sky: a 110/2040 mm refractor, manufactured by Carl Zeiss Jena in 1923.
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