The John Benjamin Dancer Antique Telescope
John Benjamin Dancer (1812-1887) made telescopes, microscopes, and other instruments at his shops in England. He was the first person in England to image the Moon through a telescope. The McCarthy Observatory received this donated telescope in 2011; it was mostly intact but needed some serious restoration. That work was done by master craftsman Richard Parker in Connecticut. This telescope was made sometime between 1845 and 1870. It has a 4.25 inch objective, and a 62 inch focal length, giving a focal ratio of about 15 (~f/15).
![Moon image through Dancer telescope using a ZWO ASI 120mm camera.](https://www.mccarthyobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/cache/2022/10/Moon-Mosaic-taken-with-Dancer-Telescope-Feb-2021-scaled/1210398641.jpg)
Moon Mosaic taken with Dancer Telescope Feb 2021
Moon image through Dancer telescope using a ZWO ASI 120mm camera.
![Image taken with a ZWO ASI 120mm camera.](https://www.mccarthyobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/cache/2022/10/Jupiter-and-Europa_19-Sept-2021-taken-through-Dancer-Telescope/1615441686.jpg)
Jupiter and Europa_19 Sept 2021 taken through Dancer Telescope
Image taken with a ZWO ASI 120mm camera.
![First page of the Royal Astronomical Society bulletin mentioning Dancer's Moon image.](https://www.mccarthyobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/cache/2022/10/1873-Royal-Astronomical-Society-paper-mentioning-Dancer/196936045.jpg)
1873 Royal Astronomical Society paper mentioning Dancer
First page of the Royal Astronomical Society bulletin mentioning Dancer's Moon image.
![Second page of the Royal Astronomical bulletin mentioning Dancer's Moon image.](https://www.mccarthyobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/cache/2022/10/1873-Royal-Astronomical-Society-paper-mentioning-Dancer-Page2/3116411149.jpg)
1873 Royal Astronomical Society paper mentioning Dancer Page2
Second page of the Royal Astronomical bulletin mentioning Dancer's Moon image.
![Recent image of Mare Imbrium taken through the Dancer Telescope with a ZWO ASI 120mm camera](https://www.mccarthyobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/cache/2023/04/Mare-Imbrium/2699974627.jpg)
Mare Imbrium
Recent image of Mare Imbrium taken through the Dancer Telescope with a ZWO ASI 120mm camera
![Closer to the Edge taken with the Dancer Telescope on 30 December 2022 using a ZWO ASI 120 mm camera](https://www.mccarthyobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/cache/2023/04/Close-to-the-edge-30-December-2022-scaled/2944809391.jpg)
Close to the edge 30 December 2022
Closer to the Edge taken with the Dancer Telescope on 30 December 2022 using a ZWO ASI 120 mm camera