Menke Scientific, Ltd. is an astronomy company formed in 2002 by John and Meg Menke of Barnesville, Maryland.  The Menkes have been active in astronomy prior to this new venture.  John has been an amateur astronomer since his early teen years and has had an observatory for visual and astro-photography since 1974.  Together, John and Meg developed a highly successful observatory dome manufacturing business, Technical Innovations, Inc. For ten years, they built fiberglass observatory domes and dome automation equipment for amateur and professional astronomers throughout the world.  Early in 2002, a successor owner took over the manufacturing business, leaving Meg and John more time to work one-on-one with astronomers.

When we began Technical Innovations in 1991, we decided that our work together would focus on the advancement of astronomy.  We created well designed affordable domes (HOME-DOME, PRO-DOME and ROBO-DOME) for the amateur astronomy market and were leaders in creating dome automation systems that link with computer controlled telescope mounts. During the past ten years, we often heard from dome customers who needed help learning to use their new equipment.  We were too busy with domes then to respond, but now we can offer just that service!

John is a physicist whose professional career (before dome manufacturing) focused on electronics and instrumentation.  He spent fifteen years working on nuclear accelerator projects, including the one at the National Bureau of Standards. Later, he worked at both local government and national levels on environmental policy and programs. John’s teaching experience includes courses in electronics for technicians and astronomy at the community college level.

Prior to Technical Innovations, Meg was a public program manager who directed advocacy organizations for children and communities, and led a land use policy analysis group for a major local government in Maryland.  She has teaching experience with both children and adults in workshop settings.

Meg and John wrote two popular booklets that have been used by thousands of astronomers around the world:  “At Home in a Dome” and “Remote Control Astronomy Handbook.”  (Both booklets are free downloads from the Internet.  Click here for more information.)

Their Starlight Farm Observatory is a PD-10 with two added wall rings and Digital Dome Works. It contains a Celestron 11 on an Astro-Physics 1200GOTO mount.  Prior to installing the C-11 in the summer of 2001, the telescope we used was an Astro-Physics folded refractor, 6", f/12 (this is the scope shown in the photos mentioned below.)  The AP refractor was replaced after a moderately severe bout of aperture fever, brought on by a photon deficiency, and curable only by more square inches of glass.

Click here for more details and photos showing how we set up the dome, telescope and CCD for remote operations.  You can also view images taken from the dome.