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Taylor Observatory is the realization of the dream of Mr. Robert Taylor, an Educator and avid Amateur Astronomer. In the 1960’s, Mr. Taylor was the Principal of Kingsburg High School in the community of Kingsburg, California. Through his efforts, an observatory was constructed at the high schoo l campus.
Mr. Taylor moved to Lake County in the 1970’s, and was employed as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the Lake County Office of Education. He identified funding that was available for the construction of an Observatory on property owned by the elementary school in Kelseyville. Construction began in the late 1970’s, and in 1980, Taylor Observatory opened to the general public. The Norton Planetarium was added in 1985.
Shortly after completion of the Planetarium, Mr. Taylor moved out of the area. Evelyn Norton, his assistant, assumed responsibility for the operation of the facility. She remained active in this role until her retirement in 2003. Ms. Norton passed away in 2005, and the Planetarium was named in her honor. In 2004 the facility was renovated through the efforts of the Kelseyville Rotary Club and local amateur astronomers.
Original equipment installed in the Observatory was:
- · Cave-Astrola 12-1/2” Reflector mounted under the dome (sold)
- · Cave-Astrola 8” Reflector (on display)
- · Celestron 8” Schmidt-Cassegranian (on display)
- · Spitz Nova III Planetarium projector (in storage)
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