Draft in Progress
Observatory I built in Christmas Valley, Oregon Bortle 1 skies sub arc sec. seeing
Observatory I built in Southern California, Bortle 4 skies very good seeing
Amateur Observatories
Category: Observatories
Professional & Amateur Observatories
Pictures and information on a variety of Professional and Amateur Observatories.
Palomar Observatory
Draft updates in Progress
Canon 7D Mark II, Tokina 11mm f/2.8 32 sec. ISO 400 on a Tripod ; Moon 12.9 days Waxing Gibbous
Inside Caltech Astronomers, are having a successful run testing a prototype CCD camera. Imaging exoplanets and isolating the planets atmosphere for study. Nearing its 75th year anniversary. Palomar Observatory is at the forefront of testing new ideas, equipment and theories. Palomar and Caltech continue collecting data that contributes to present day cosmology. This image was taken from a tripod with a Canon 7D Mark II and Tokina 11-16mm lens at 11mm f/2.8 for 32 seconds ISO 400 at 2149 hours on September 11, 2019 by Sam Pitts.
Hale 200″ Telescope Dedicated in June 3, 1948
200″ (5.1 meter) Telescope Dedicated in June 3, 1948 as the Hale Telescope 1/ 26/1949 1st official photos taken by Edwin Hubble Hubble’s Variable Nebula NGC 22612. View from WINTER project Telescope, PW1000 PlanWave 1 meter f/6 telescope installed 2022.
View of Hale 200″ telescope from Catwalk May 23, 2018
Image of the Hale 200″ Mirror Cell and Scientific Instrument at Cassigrain focus inside a cage. Taken April 15, 2023 1417 hrs,
The 60-inch (1.5-meter) Telescope was dedicated in 1970 and resides inside the Oscar G. Mayer Memorial Building. Image taken May 13, 2023.
Palomar Observatory’s 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope – Zwicky Transit Facility 48” Schmidt Camera Image Taken May 2018 also called P48 May 1937 and construction on the 48-inch Schmidt telescope began.
Pine Mountain Observatory
Pine Mountain Observatory (PMO) was established in the mid-1960’s by the University of Oregon (U of O). Located 30 miles southeast of Bend, Oregon. Take Highway 20 from Bend and then take the exit at Millican (south). The gravel road will go up from the valley floor 2,200 feet to the Observatory at around 6,300 feet. Early tests proved the location to be excellent for astronomy. The skies are dark and the seeing is excellent for astronomical research. PMO currently operates 4 fixed telescopes and continues U of O’s commitment to astronomy. The University of Oregon established a school of astronomy and celestial mechanics around 1878. Late in 1888 an observatory was completed on”Skinner’s Butte”, in Eugene, Or. Pine Mountain Observatory was established in the 1960’s because of its great Astronomical Potential.
The left walkway leads to the dome of the 32″ Sigma Ritchie-Chretien Telescope. The right walkway leads to the 15″ Fecker Cassegrain telescope and dome. The picture shows a clear beautiful June night on the mountain. Volunteers from Friends of Pine Mountain Observatory (FOPMO) conducted lectures in the dome of the 32″. The 15″ and 24″ inch telescopes were used for public viewing and outreach on June 3, 2000.
24″ f/13.5 Boller and Chivens Telescope
Pine Mountain Observatory Boller & Chivens 24″ Telescope During a night of Public Outreach on June 3, 2000. The public could look through the telescope and gaze upon numerous celestial wonders because of amazingly dark and steady skies. Telescope operators, with a treasure trove of information, would explain in detail the object being observed.
The 18.5 foot Ash Dome sets atop a two story masonry structure. The mount’s footing is isolated from the dome structure and rests on solid bedrock. The first floor houses a work shop, Film Lab and Electrical/Communications Equipment.
On top of the 24″telescope is a camera lens and SBIG ST 6 CCD, used for Public Outreach. Using Timbuktu software and dial-up modems near real time imaging was available to students throughout Oregon. FOPMO and Outreach Volunteer Rick Kang would show live CCD images during Public Tours on Friday & Saturday nights. Dennis di Cicco’s did asteroid hunting with modest size telescopes in 1995. Many, because of The Sky & Telescope article in 1997 (Hunting Asteroids from Your Backyard) wanted to see asteroids. Rick Kang used an SBIG ST6 CCD on the 24″ telescope and through a camera lens piggybacked on the 24″. Astrometry of asteroids now was available to students because of this setup. Bend Oregon’s teacher’s group and students began collecting scientific grade astrometric data in 1998. This is a small sample of the Astronomical Outreach done by Pine mountain Observatory and the University of Oregon.
15″ f/15 Fecker Telescope
Canon F1 slide film canon 20mm lens Kodak slide film
The Fecker 15″ was purchased by University of Oregon in 1950 and was used on top of the U of O’s science building until 1961. In the early days of Pine Mountain Observatory a grant allowed the construction of a dome that would house the Fecker 15″. The Fecker Telescope went to its new home in 1968. This was after the Grand Opening of Pine Mountain Observatory on September 17, 1967 . Celebrating the completion of the 18.5′ Ash Dome for the 24″ Boiler and Chivens 24″ f/13.5 and 6″ finder scope .
The Fecker 15″ telescope’s mirror was in dire need of re-coating/ Aluminizing. This telescope, because of its great optics, could still produce great photos and views. It gave visitors a great chance to observe many solar system and deep sky objects. The mount tracked very well, but the operator had to be trained on how to disengage the clutches to manually slew the heavy telescope. Objects had to be centered in the finder scope to be seen in the main Telescope. The operator had to reengage the clutches and clock drive to track the object for visual viewing. Oh, did mention the dome was also operated manually.
Special training and care was needed to do a meridian flip of the mount. The dome opening had to be in alignment with the Telescope to prevent damage to the scope, dome and drive system. The operator also had to make sure to manually track the dome to the telescope, all the while talking to observers and explaining what they were observing. This was a really fun instrument to use, it tested your abilities and knowledge of the Night Sky.
The 15″Fecker, often referred to as the “Matriarch of the Mountain” because of its long, rich history and importance to Pine Mountain Observatory. Unfortunately over the years it fell to disrepair and because of this it was replaced by a Celestron 14″ Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. The Celestron 14″ was had a new Paramount Mount and was installed in the dome of the 15″ Richard Berry was instrumental in installing the newC14 Telescope. Richard Berry has a vast history in astronomy and inspired many amateur astronomers.
In 2012, Alton Luken, a PMO volunteer, found the Fecker 15″ under a shelf behind insulation. So began a 3 year journey to fully restore the Fecker 15″ f/15 Cassigrain to her original glory. The telescope was reinstalled in 2015 to all its previous glory . Now a tremendous tool in teaching University of Oregon Physics students and public outreach. It remains an amazing tool for public viewing of the Universe. On clear steady nights, glimpsing views through this grand old telescope is very special. The Fecker 15″ is manual, so the operators need to know the sky. The mount does have a clock-drive for tracking so once on target it can track and object.
The refurbished Fecker 15″, I believe this image was taken by ALton Luken of PMO.
32″ Sigma Research Telescope
The massive and complex Sigma 32″ telescope arrived on Pine Mountain late in 1978. Pine Mountain Observatory enjoyed having the largest scientific telescope in the Pacific Northwest for many years. The 32″ telescope was a research active scientific telescope and endured into the nineties. Astronomers from the University of Oregon and other colleges observed many celestial objects. The 32″, because of pristine skies and great seeing excelled in scientific research.
n 1980’s Jim Kemp, with a tenure of 27 years at the University of Oregon Physics Department, formed a support group of amateur astronomers “Friends of Pine Mountain Observatory (FOPMO). This group was fueled by Kemp’s obsession with anything astronomical, along with scientific curiosity. Pine Mountain Observatory’ s outreach and public awareness became contagious. Students and the Public were drawn to Pine Mountain Observatory because of the access it provided to view the night sky.
Pine Mountain Observatory was designed as a primary astrophysics and research facility in the 1960’s. The Observatories current prime mission is Public Education. Pine Mountain Observatory is among a very few research observatories with public access.
Then around the year 2000, the 32″ telescopes mount suffered a catastrophic failure. This failure eliminated any meaningful tracking and restricted its use. Only five of these were ever made, because of this and the lack of parts, repairs are not feasible.
Professor Gregory Bothun replaced the secondary mirror of the 32″telescope with a CCD camera because of the poor tracking. This CCD was developed by Bothun and the University of Oregon’s Physics Department. This reduced the focal length and because of the sensitivity of this camera short exposures were possible. The new camera named the “COWCAM” , because of a wider field of view and fast f-ratio, would spend many hours imaging nearby Galaxies and collecting valuable data. The sensitivity of this camera allowed short exposures and helped to negate the tracking issues.
Classrooms throughout Oregon could now use data collected by the COWCAM on the 32″ and cameras on the 24″ telescopes.
Recently a PlaneWave 14″ telescope in a clam-shell dome does scientific work and outreach research. The system uses modern CCD and CMOS technology for educational outreach and scientific research. This telescope is not setup for any visual viewing. The PlaneWave is located near the 24″ observatory.