Hamilton-area observatory rammed by truck suffers extensive damage

A non-profit is grateful for donations they’ve been receiving to mitigate extensive damage suffered by two buildings at their Millgrove, Ont., observatory which were rammed by a vehicle last week.

The Hamilton branch of the Royal Astronomers Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) says a July 3 break-in caused thousands of dollars in damage after someone drove a truck into two neighbouring buildings at the site.

“Luckily… nothing was taken, but there was extensive damage to … both of the buildings … and several pieces of equipment within the observatory itself,” RASC director of outreach Victor Abraham said.

A concrete pillar, gearing and a mount for a 14-inch telescope are “write-offs” according to Abraham who says the cost of the damage calculated so far ranges between $20,000 and $30,000.

However, he says there may be more.

“Not only that, there’s extensive damage to the building which could be in the tens of thousands of dollars, depending on what the insurance company says and whether the buildings are structurally sound,” he said.

Dust on sensitive equipment could also be a potential issue and something not yet accounted for, particularly the telescopes themselves.

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“So when (dust) lands on sensitive things like mirror coatings, those … are dissolved and that mirror would have to be sent out to the manufacturer to get recoated,” Abraham revealed.

“So there could be peripheral damage that we don’t even know about until we really get a full inspection.”

Police confirmed the incident happened around 8:30 p.m. last Tuesday with surveillance video revealing a pair of suspects in the case.

Detectives say they are seeking a 30-year-old woman and 26-year-old man with both potentially facing break-and-enter and mischief charges.

A GoFundMe campaign launched by a supporter had raised just under $5,000 as of July 13.

Additionally, Abraham says they’ve had others reach out not only to give cash donations but equipment as well.

The RASC has roughly 5,000 members across Canada, typically composed of amateur astronomers.

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