Observatory

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Observatory (disambiguation).
See also: Observational astronomy
The Sphinx Observatory on a mountain top in the Swiss Alps at 3,571 m (11,716 ft)

An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events.

astronomical sextant (for measuring the distance between stars) or Stonehenge
(which has some alignments on astronomical phenomena).

Astronomical observatories

Main article: List of astronomical observatories

Astronomical observatories are mainly divided into four categories:

space-based, airborne
, ground-based, and underground-based.

Ground-based observatories

Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Chile, at 5,058 m (16,594 ft)[1]
Paranal Observatory, Chile, home of the VLT at 2,635 m (8,645 ft)
The Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, home of several of the world's largest optical telescopes at 4,205 m (13,796 ft)
Haleakala Observatory at 3,036 m (9,961 ft), Maui, Hawaii

Ground-based observatories, located on the surface of Earth, are used to make observations in the radio and visible light portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Most optical telescopes are housed within a dome or similar structure, to protect the delicate instruments from the elements. Telescope domes have a slit or other opening in the roof that can be opened during observing, and closed when the telescope is not in use. In most cases, the entire upper portion of the telescope dome can be rotated to allow the instrument to observe different sections of the night sky. Radio telescopes usually do not have domes.[citation needed]

For optical telescopes, most ground-based observatories are located far from major centers of population, to avoid the effects of

Mauna Kea Observatory and Kitt Peak National Observatory in the US, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in Spain, and Paranal Observatory and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.[citation needed
]

Specific research study performed in 2009 shows that the best possible location for ground-based observatory on Earth is Ridge A — a place in the central part of Eastern Antarctica.[4] This location provides the least atmospheric disturbances and best visibility.[citation needed]

Radio observatories

Beginning in 1933,

Jodrell Bank in the UK, Arecibo in Puerto Rico, Parkes in New South Wales, Australia, and Chajnantor in Chile.[citation needed
]

Highest astronomical observatories

Main article: List of highest astronomical observatories

Since the mid-20th century, a number of astronomical observatories have been constructed at very

Mauna Kea Observatory, located near the summit of a 4,205 m (13,796 ft) volcano in Hawaiʻi. The Chacaltaya Astrophysical Observatory in Bolivia, at 5,230 m (17,160 ft), was the world's highest permanent astronomical observatory[5] from the time of its construction during the 1940s until 2009. It has now been surpassed by the new University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory,[6] an optical-infrared telescope on a remote 5,640 m (18,500 ft) mountaintop in the Atacama Desert
of Chile.

Los Angeles, California

Oldest astronomical observatories

The oldest proto-observatories, in the sense of an observation post for astronomy,[14]

The oldest true observatories, in the sense of a specialized research institute,[14][16][17] include:

Space-based observatories

Main article: Space telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope in Earth's orbit

Space-based observatories are telescopes or other instruments that are located in

gamma rays and is partially opaque to infrared radiation so observations in these portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are best carried out from a location above the atmosphere of our planet.[25] Another advantage of space-based telescopes is that, because of their location above the Earth's atmosphere, their images are free from the effects of atmospheric turbulence that plague ground-based observations.[26] As a result, the angular resolution of space telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope is often much smaller than a ground-based telescope with a similar aperture. However, all these advantages do come with a price. Space telescopes are much more expensive to build than ground-based telescopes. Due to their location, space telescopes are also extremely difficult to maintain. The Hubble Space Telescope was able to be serviced by the Space Shuttles
while many other space telescopes cannot be serviced at all.

Airborne observatories

Main article: Airborne observatory
SOFIA on board a Boeing 747SP

Airborne observatories have the advantage of height over ground installations, putting them above most of the Earth's atmosphere. They also have an advantage over space telescopes: The instruments can be deployed, repaired and updated much more quickly and inexpensively. The Kuiper Airborne Observatory and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy use airplanes to observe in the infrared, which is absorbed by water vapor in the atmosphere. High-altitude balloons for X-ray astronomy have been used in a variety of countries.[citation needed]

Volcano observatories

Main article: Volcano observatory

A

USGS VDAP (Volcano Disaster Assistance Program), to be deployed on demand. Each volcano observatory has a geographic area of responsibility it is assigned to whereby the observatory is tasked with spreading activity forecasts, analyzing potential volcanic activity threats and cooperating with communities in preparation for volcanic eruption.[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ "ALMA's Solitude". Picture of the Week. ESO. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  2. ^ Chaisson, Eric; McMillan, Steve (2002). Astronomy Today, Fourth Edition. Prentice Hall. pp. 116–119.
  3. ^ Chaisson, Eric; McMillan, Steve (2002). Astronomy Today, Fourth Edition. Prentice Hall. p. 119.
  4. S2CID 11166739
    .
  5. doi:10.1016/j.asr.2008.10.039
    .
  6. ^ Yoshii, Yuzuru; et al. (August 11, 2009). "The 1m telescope at the Atacama Observatory has Started Scientific Operation, detecting the Hydrogen Emission Line from the Galactic Center in the Infrared Light". Press Release. School of Science, the University of Tokyo. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  7. ^ Taavi Tuvikene, Tartu Old Observatory, 18 February 2009
  8. ^ Tartu Observatory – Official website (English version)
  9. ^ Official Web Site of the Sydney Observatory
  10. ^ "One of the Oldest Observatories in South America is the Quito Astronomical Observatory". Archived from the original on 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2015-01-05.
  11. ^ Official website of the Quito Astronomical Observatory
  12. ^ "Slovakia's High Tatras mountains are seen from the solar observatory station on the Lomnicky Stit peak". BBC. 5 September 2014.
  13. ^ A long time exposed picture taken by night shows Slovakia's High Tatras mountains seen from the Solar observatory station on the Lomnicky Stit peak Archived 2017-10-16 at the Wayback Machine 4 September 2014.
  14. ^
    ISBN 978-0-415-12410-2
    .
  15. ^ "Facts about Hipparchus: astronomical observatory, as discussed in astronomical observatory:". Encyclopædia Britannica.[dead link]
  16. ISBN 0-567-08969-X
  17. doi:10.1086/349558
    .
  18. ^ "Royal Institute and Observatory of the San Fernando Armada". Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
  19. ^ "Real Observatorio de Madrid - Breve semblanza histórica". Archived from the original on 2013-07-26.
  20. ^ "Observatorio Astronómico Nacional (Universidad Nacional de Colombia)". Archived from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2019-08-24.
  21. ^ "On its 200th Anniversary Tartu Old Observatory Opens Doors as a Museum". Visit Estonia. 26 April 2011. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  22. ^ "Astronomy and Astrophysics (United States Naval Observatory)". Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service. 2001-11-05. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
  23. S2CID 25585014
    – via Zenodo.
  24. ^ History of astronomy at University of Helsinki 1834–1984 (in Finnish)
  25. ^ Chaisson, Eric; McMillan, Steve (2002). Astronomy Today, Fourth Edition. Prentice Hall.
  26. ^ "A Brief History of the Hubble Space Telescope: Why a Space Telescope?". NASA. Retrieved 2006-08-14.
  27. ^ "USGS operates five U.S. Volcano Observatories". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 8 February 2021.

Further reading

External links

Look up observatory in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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