Robert Waland

Robert Waland (1908 - 1999) Optical Engineer and Astronomer. Robert Waland was born in Dumfries in 1908 and educated at Dumfries Academy. He went on to international acclaim in the field of optical engineering. His work on telescopes at the University of Arizona at Tucson enabled astronomers to compile an atlas of the moon surface that was used by the first astronauts to land on the moon in 1969.
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Aged only nineteen his self taught skill and knowledge enabled him to construct a Solar-Camera telescope in order to witness the total solar eclipse of 1927,

…In June 1927 I made a 7ft 6 inch focus Solar-Camera at Glencaple to photograph the total eclipse of the sun on the 29th at 6.24am. I cycled to Richmond in Yorkshire, which lay in the belt of totality, accompanied by my two brothers. I carried the camera. It required quite an effort to mount the bicycle and stay on it let alone cycle the 150 miles! We were up at 3 am that morning and duly orientated the camera in readiness for the exposures but were defeated by clouds at the critical moment. Several successful photographs of the sun's disc were however obtained before and after totality…

Two years later Robert Waland completed a domed observatory in his garden at Glencaple, near Dumfries. It housed a 10 inch reflecting telescope. Over the following decade, he designed a 6 inch refracting telescope which incorporated cameras for photographing the stars. It took 17,000 hours of his spare time to make and was completed in 1945 by which time he had moved into Dumfries.

A chance encounter with Professor Erwin Finlay-Freundlich who was on a visit to Dumfries led to Robert Waland's appointment as Head Technician at the Department of Astronomy at St Andrews University. He remained there for 17 years working on an 18 inch then a 37 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope research project.

In 1950, Robert Waland undertook a study trip to the United States to examine telescope design. He returned there in 1962 as Research Associate and Chief Optician at the Lunar and Planetary Department of the University of Arizona at Tucson. He worked on a 61 inch reflecting telescope which was completed in 1965. It enabled astronomers to compile an atlas of the moon surface which was used by the first astronauts to land on the moon in 1969. He continued his research, working on a 70 inch telescope for asteroid observation.

Robert Waland retired from the Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona in 1980. He returned to St Andrews to work on his book, "Optics of the Cassegrain Telescope". This book sums up his years in optical engineering. He describes the design process of telescopes, including the grinding, polishing and handling of the mirror itself. It was published in 1990.

He finally returned to Dumfries where he spent the last years of his life. In 1998 a modern 9.25 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Reflecting Telescope was added to the collection at Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura. The selection was made under the guidance of Robert Waland whose generosity made the purchase possible. He died in the following year.

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Robert Waland - photo**check**
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Optics of the Cassegrain Telescope
Robert Waland retired from the Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona in 1980.  He spent t
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Photograph of 6 inch Refractor Telescope
Photograph by Robert Waland.  It shows his 6 inch refracting telescope assembled in his home at Dumf
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Telescope Sidereal Clock Drive
A mechanism attached to the 6 inch refractor telescope.  It compensates for the Earth's rotation ena
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Telescope Focussing Control
A three spindle focussing control used with a 6 inch refractor telescope.  It allows a much larger a
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9.25 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Reflecting Telescope
This modern telescope was added to the collection at Dumfries Museum in 1998.  The selection was mad
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Spherometer
A precision instrument designed to measure the curvature of a surface to a high degree of accuracy. 
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Selection of optical lenses, prisms and eyepieces
The refractor telescope uses a set of curved glass lenses (which change the direction of the light a
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3.5 inch Richest Field Telescope
This low powered and short focus telescope produces spectacular views of the Galaxy.  It allows the
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2 inch Finder Telescope
A small telescope used to search the sky before focusing on a smaller area with the main telescope. 
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Photograph of Robert Waland in the optical workshop at the University of Arizona
He is examining the grinding machine at work on the 61 inch mirror used for lunar observations.
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Photograph of Robert Waland on the observing platform of the 30-36 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope at St Andrews University
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Photograph of Robert Waland and Professor Erwin Finlay-Freundlich at St Andrews University in 1947
They are examining an 18.75 inch mirror in the optics workshop.
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Comet Arend-Roland
Photograph taken by Robert Waland from his own Observatory in St Andrews, 25th April 1957.
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Photograph of Robert Waland at his own Observatory in St Andrews
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