The Union College Observatory
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Observer's page | Journal Seminar | Local Astronomy Links
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View of the Union College Observatory on the Olin buildingLongitude 73° 55' 41.88" W |
The main purpose of the observatory is education.
Union College students benefit from hands-on experience with current high-tech
instrumentation.
A lab course in which students make professional type observations is offered regularly.
The observatory is used for senior theses and independent projects.
For example, students have used the telescope to study cataclysmic variable stars.
Once trained in the use of CCD cameras and data reduction, students are eligible for time at
the SMARTS telescopes
in the Chilean Andes with professional, state of the art instrumentation
and some of the best observing conditions in the world!
Open houses for the general public are
offered monthly, frequently timed near the first-quarter moon.
These are clear-weather only events, so we are closed if there is any precipitation,
strong winds, or mostly cloudy conditions.
2010 Open Houses
Friday, Jun 18, 9-10:30pm (Ceres at opposition, Saturn, moon visible, Mars is getting low)
Thursday, May 20, 8:30-10pm (Saturn, Mars, moon visible)
Sunday, Apr 18, 8-10pm (Saturn, Mars, moon visible)
Friday, Mar19, 7:30-9:30pm (Saturn near opposition, Mars, moon visible)
Sunday, Feb 21, 6-8pm (Mars viewing, moon, Vesta near opposition)
Saturday, Jan 23, 6:30-8:30pm (Mars rising, moon visible)
Past events: 2009 Open Houses
Tuesday, Dec 22: 7-9pm Sky cleared during first hour and remained clear
Tuesday, Dec 15: 9:30-11pm (After AAAA meeting at Schenectady Museum)Cancelled due to clouds and snow!
Saturday, Nov 21: 7-9pm (Nice weather, many objects viewed)
Saturday, Nov 14: 6-8pm Cancelled due to Rain!!!
Friday, Oct 30: 8-10pm (Homecoming/Family weekend, tickets available)
Sunday, Oct 25: 8-9:30pm
Saturday, Sept 26: 8-10pm
Thursday, August 27: 8-9:30pm
Tuesday, July 28: 9-10:30pm
Friday, June 26: 9-11pm: cancelled due to clouds and threat of thunderstorms!
Saturday, May 2: Astronomy Day! Open House 8:30pm-10pm. First quarter moon, Saturn, etc.
Sunday, April 5: Open House: 8:00-10:00 pm. Welcome accepted students!
Saturn with its rings and moons, the gibbous moon, Comet Lulin?
Key targets for Spring 2009 Evening sky: the moon, Saturn, the Great Cluster in Hercules (M13), Whirlpool Galaxy (M51),
Ring Nebula (M57), etc.
Mercury will be visible in the evening sky during early twilight for much of the month of April,
highest about April 25, the best chance to see it in the evening sky this year.
Venus is now in the morning sky before sunrise, but in the lovely crescent phase during April! Before sunrise one can also observe Jupiter and Mars (currently not well placed).
Comet 17/P Holmes: Our first images taken thursday night Oct 25, 2007 are here and here. The images include luminance, red, visual (green) and blue filters with equal exposure times on 1 second.
Schools are invited for tours. Contact Francis Wilkin, preferably by email including information about your group and schedule (wilkinf@union.edu, or call 388-6344).
The observatory is used for some astronomical research projects. Even from Schenectady, the telescope can be used for some research studies, such as extrasolar planet transits and the study of cataclysmic variable stars (binary star systems in which a red dwarf star and a white dwarf are in tight orbits about each other, with gas tranferring from the red star to the white dwarf.)
BVR Color Images Obtained at the Union College Observatory
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M 42: Orion Nebula. 2/15/99 |
M 51: Whirlpool Nebula |
M 27: Dumbbell Nebula |
M 57: Ring Nebula |
Details of the optical telescope.
We also have a 2.1-meter radio telescope (a Haystack Observatory SRT):
observes at 1,420 MHz: sensitive to 21-cm emission of neutral Hydrogen
For more information:
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Francis Wilkin, Observatory Manager |
388-6344 |
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Physics and Astronomy Department Office |
388-6254 |
Physics and Astronomy Home Page
Observatory Webmaster wilkinf@union.edu
Physics and Astronomy Chairman vineyarm@union.edu