What was once Japan’s largest reflecting telescope, perched on Mt. Ikoma

A 60-centimeter reflecting telescope from the former Ikoma Space Science Museum

This is a British-made reflecting telescope from the former Ikoma Space Science Museum (closed in 1999) that sat on Mt. Ikoma, which spans Osaka and Nara prefectures. It was imported in 1936, and was installed first in the Mt. Ikoma Astronomy Museum (opened in 1951 and closed in 1968), and then in the Ikoma Space Science Museum (opened in 1969). Until 1960, it was the largest reflecting telescope in Japan. It is open to the general public, and many people have experienced the wonders of the universe by observation through it. It was put to active use in the dawn of public astronomical observatories in Japan.