Rothney Astrophysical Observatory

The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory (RAO) is an astronomical observatory located near the hamlet of Priddis, Alberta, Canada, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Calgary. The observatory is owned and operated by the University of Calgary (UC), and was dedicated in 1972.[1] The facility is used for research, undergraduate and graduate teaching, and public outreach. Research performed at the RAO included a variable star search program, follow-up observations of variable star discoveries, and detailed investigation of binary stars.[2][3][4] An outstanding minor planet search program was also performed with comet discoveries by Rob Cardinal.[5] The RAO is a link in the Skynet Robotic Telescope Network.[6]

Rothney Astrophysical Observatory
OrganizationUniversity of Calgary
Observatory code 661 Edit this on Wikidata
Locationnear Priddis, Alberta
Coordinates50.8684°N 114.2910°W / 50.8684; -114.2910
Altitude1,269 metres (4,163 ft)
Established1972 (1972)
WebsiteRothney Astrophysical Observatory
Telescopes
A.R. Cross Telescope1.8 m reflector
Baker-Nunn Telescope0.5 m reflector
Clark-Milone Telescope0.4 m reflector
Rothney Astrophysical Observatory is located in Canada
Rothney Astrophysical Observatory
Location of Rothney Astrophysical Observatory
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Telescopes
  • The 1.8 m (71 in) A.R. Cross Telescope (ARCT) is a Ritchey-Chrétien design dedicated in 1987.[7] It is attached to an unusual altitude-altitude (alt-alt) mount which allows greater access to northern skies than other mounts.[8] It was originally equipped with 1.5 m (59 in) metal mirror acquired many years earlier, but even before the telescope was completed, plans were made to acquire a conventional mirror.[9] This new primary was fabricated in the 1980s and, under a cost-sharing agreement, used from 1990 to 1993 at Apache Point Observatory. The glass mirror was finally installed in 1996.[10] The telescope is equipped with the Rapid Alternate Detection System (RADS) developed at UC. The computer-controlled "chopping" of the secondary mirror enables observers to perform differential photometry with the telescope.
  • The 0.5 m (20 in) Baker-Nunn Telescope was built in 1957 and donated in 1981 to RAO by the Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake. It is a modified Cassegrain reflector which was used to track satellites under a United States Air Force program.[7] The original altitude-altitude-azimuth mount was replaced with a simpler equatorial mount when the telescoped was refurbished in 2004.[11] DFM Engineering performed the work with the help of UC.[12]
  • The 0.4 m (16 in) Clark-Milone Telescope (CMT), named after former co-directors Alan Clark and Eugene Milone, was installed at RAO in 1972.[13] It was used to develop RADS in the early 1980s.[14]

See also

References
  1. "The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory | Observatories | AstroLab". ASTROLab of Mont-Mégantic National Park. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  2. Williams; Milone (2011). "First results from the RAO Variable Star Search Program: I. Background, Procedure, and Results from RAO Field 1". arXiv:1101.5650 [astro-ph.GA].
  3. Lenhardt, Tyler; Williams, M.; Milone, E.; Langill, P. (2006). "Study of a Variable Star Discovered with the 0.5-M F/1 Baker-nunn Patrol Camera of the RAO". American Astronomical Society Meeting 208. 208: 83. Bibcode:2006AAS...208.0501L.
  4. Kijewski, K. E.; Milone, E. F. (1997). "New UBVRI Photometry of the Enigmatic Eclipsing Binary RT Lacertae". American Astronomical Society. 189: 730. Bibcode:1997AAS...18912007K.
  5. "Announcements | Rothney Astrophysical Observatory / University of Calgary". www.ucalgary.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-08-26.
  6. "Skynet: RAO". Skynet Robotic Telescope Network. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  7. "History of the RAO | Rothney Astrophysical Observatory / University of Calgary". University of Calgary Department of Physics & Astronomy. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  8. "The 1.8 meter ARCT Telescope". University of Calgary Department of Physics & Astronomy. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  9. Peterson, Jim. "A Brief History of the Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC) and the Apache Point Observatory (APO)". Apache Point Observatory. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  10. Milone, E. F.; Langill, P. (1999). "CCD Photometry with the A. R. Cross Telescope of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory". Precision CCD Photometry. 189: 103. Bibcode:1999ASPC..189..103M.
  11. Milone, E. F.; Robb, R. M.; Babott, F. M.; Hansen, C. H. (1982). "Rapid alternate detection system of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory". Applied Optics. 21 (16): 2992–5. Bibcode:1982ApOpt..21.2992M. doi:10.1364/AO.21.002992. PMID 20396162.
  12. "University of Calgary Modernizes Baker-Nunn Camera". DFM Engineering. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  13. "The 0.4 meter Telescope". University of Calgary Department of Physics & Astronomy. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  14. Milone, E. F.; Robb, R. M. (1983). "Photometry with the Rapid Alternate Detection System". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 95: 666. Bibcode:1983PASP...95..666M. doi:10.1086/131237.
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