The HMNS Telescopes at the George Observatory

Based in Houston, Texas, Joel A. Bartsch possesses years of experience working in senior management roles at museums. Joel A. Bartsch oversees operations at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) as the president and CEO of the organization.

A non-profit organization established in 1909, the HMNS is one of the most visited museums in America. The George Observatory at the museum is a key attraction for those interested in the planetary sciences.

This observatory houses three domed telescopes including the Gueymard Research telescope which is 36 inches in size. One of the largest telescopes in America, this telescope is designed with primary and secondary hyperbolic mirrors that enhance focus and provide a precise image. This telescope also contains two refractors on its side that improve the view of the planets and solar system.

The HMNS has two additional telescopes including a computerized 14” Celestron Cassegrain telescope located in the West Dome of the observatory and an 18” fork-mounted equatorial Newtonian telescope which is housed in the East Dome. Some of the features of outer space that have been seen using the telescopes at HMNS include Jupiter’s cloud belts, the rings of Saturn, moon eclipses, and meteors.