Located in Dome F
Aperture 960mm, 1.93m focal length, f/2
The 38″ Congo Schmidt is the largest and newest of the Herstmonceux telescopes, but has never been used for serious observing. It was designed and built by Cox, Hargreaves and Thomson in 1960 and was installed at Herstmonceux in 1972.
This telescope was originally destined for the Belgian Congo, Africa but civil was broke out there before it could be installed. After arrival at Herstmonceux, tests showed that it was unsuitable for use for astronomical research here.
As well as being used as a normal telescope with its large mirror at the bottom facing up the tube, it could also have been converted into a Schmidt telescope. It has a primary mirror aperture of 38″ (960 mm) and a focal length of 76″ (1930 mm). It was intended to be used at prime focus, Cassegrain or Coudé focus or as a Schmidt camera.
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