Brooks Astronomical Observatory
Encyclopedia
| Organization | Central Michigan University Central Michigan University Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan... |
|---|---|
| Location | Mount Pleasant, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 43°35′15"N 84°46′28"W |
| Altitude | 257 meters (feet) |
| Webpage | http://www.phy.cmich.edu/people/astnews/brks_ast.html |
| Telescopes | |
| Telescope Telescope A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses... |
DFM 16 inch reflector. |
Brooks Astronomical Observatory is an astronomical
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
owned and operated by Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
. It is located in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Mount Pleasant is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Isabella County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,946. The 2008 census estimate places the population at 26,675....
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
(USA). The observatory was established in 1964 and is located on the roof of the Brooks Hall science building. Both the building and observatory are named for Kendall P. Brooks, instructor of astronomy and other subjects in the period of 1910-1947.
The original 20-inch (50-cm) reflector functioned poorly and was replaced in 1977 by a 14-inch (35-cm) Schmidt-Cassegrain. This was in turn replaced in 1996 with a 16-inch (40-cm) computer-controlled Cassegrain reflector manufactured by DFM Engineering. The DFM telescope is equipped for CCD direct imaging, medium-dispersion spectroscopy and visual observing. Professional work at the observatory has included photoelectric and visual timings of lunar and asteroidal occultations; photometric measures of variable stars, cluster stars, and spectroscopic binaries; and astrometry of minor planets and comets. Monthly public open nights were established in 1976.
External links
- Brooks Astronomical Observatory Clear Sky Clock Forecasts of observing conditions.