Previously they had an antique Fitz refractor, some small portable telescopes, and some telescopes they built.

This time they wanted to buy a modern, computer controlled telescope with well proven software including remote observing capabilities.

The Alfred University's Stull Observatory is located on a hill on the south east part of the campus and has a reasonably dark sky.

The DFM telescope is located in a two story wood framed building and is supported on a 36-inch diameter steel pier.

A control room is located on the ground floor.

DFM Engineering, Inc. was chosen because the Alfred University faculty had experience with DFM telescopes and wanted a first class system.

Dr. David Toots used the DFM 18-inch telescope at the University of Colorado when he was a graduate student there.

This experience coupled with the availability of a proven remote observing software system was what they wanted.

The history of astronomy at Alfred University goes back to the year 1863, when the astronomer William A. Rogers ordered and donated a 9 inch refractor made by the American optician Henry Fitz. This telescope was first housed in the Rogers Observatory along with other instruments.

Sometime in the 1920's, with astronomy having been neglected at the University, the observatory was torn down and the telescope mothballed.

It was very nearly lost and destroyed during this period, but in the late 1950's its existence was made known to John Stull, a ceramic engineering Ph.D. who was teaching physics.

Over the next several years the telescope was used at several locations on campus, put up and taken down each night.

Finally, in 1966 Professor John Stull and the University established the modern Stull Observatory.

It serves as the cornerstone for the Astronomy Minor program, as well as the newly-developed Astrophysics concentration in the Physics major at Alfred University.