Ecuatorial du Merz
From GATE
Refractor telescope manufactured by Georg Merz (1793 - 1867). It was a crucial instrument for Angelo Secchi at the Collegio Romano and remained in operation until 1889. A similar one was constructed in Palermo, which was installed at the Palermo Observatory by Pietro Tacchini. In fact, Tacchini added Merz's telescope to the collection of the Astronomical and Copernican Museum, where it was on display until the 1950s. After the dismantling of the Collegio Romano observatory, Giuseppe Armellini (1887-1958), the director of the Rome Observatory, decided to put this telescope back into use. On the night of July 15, 1958, a fire destroyed the telescope.
