Photo from San Fernando Observatory website.
The Aerospace Corporation at the Van Norman Reservoir near Sylmar, California constructed the San Fernando Observatory in 1969. It was built for the Space Physics Laboratory with the purpose of conducting solar research.
Boller and Chivens Designed, manufactured and installed a special 24-inch Vacuum Solar Telescope coupled to a Spectroheliograph for Aerospace Corporation for it’s San Fernando Observatory.
Don Winans and Bill DeBoynton of Boller and Chivens installed and tested the telescope and the Spectroheliograph.
The 6.6 magnitude Selmar earthquake sheared the attachment bolts of the telescope base to the observatory’s concrete floor. Fortunately the observatory dome structure restrained the telescope from toppling over. After resetting the telescopes base attachments and realignment was made, the telescope was finally put into operation. No damage from the earthquake was found to either the telescope or the spectroheliograph.
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