Mount John University Observatory
Encyclopedia
Mount John University Observatory (MJUO), is New Zealand
's premier astronomical research observatory
. It is situated at 1029 metres (3,376 ft) ASL
atop Mount John at the northern end of the Mackenzie Basin
in the South Island
, and was established in 1965. There are many telescopes on site including: one 0.4m, two 0.6m, one 1.0m, and a new 1.8m 'MOA Telescope' (see below) The nearest population center is the resort town Lake Tekapo
(pop. <500). Approximately 20% of nights at MJUO are photometric, with a larger number available for spectroscopic work and direct imaging photometry.
MJUO is operated by the University of Canterbury
, and is the home of HERCULES (High Efficiency and Resolution Canterbury University Large Echelle Spectrograph
), and the observational wing of the Japanese/New Zealand MOA collaboration (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics
) led by Professor Yasushi Muraki of Nagoya University
. A Japanese funded, 1.8 meter telescope is now in place and will be used initially by the MOA Project, before handover to the University of Canterbury at the conclusion of the MOA Project in 2012.
that using their new MOA-II telescope, the observatory discovered what is at the time the smallest planet known outside of our solar system
. The planet MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb
is just 3.3 times larger than Earth
and is orbiting a small star, MOA-2007-BLG-192L (3000 light years from Earth). There is some possibility the planet has a thick atmosphere and a liquid ocean on its surface.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's premier astronomical research 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...
. It is situated at 1029 metres (3,376 ft) ASL
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
atop Mount John at the northern end of the Mackenzie Basin
Mackenzie Basin
The Mackenzie Basin , is an elliptical intermontane basin, located in the Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts, near the centre of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest such basin in New Zealand...
in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
, and was established in 1965. There are many telescopes on site including: one 0.4m, two 0.6m, one 1.0m, and a new 1.8m 'MOA Telescope' (see below) The nearest population center is the resort town Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo (town)
TekapoUrban AreaPopulation:Extent:Territorial AuthorityName:Mackenzie District CouncilPopulation:Mayor:Website:Extent:Regional councilName:Environment Canterbury...
(pop. <500). Approximately 20% of nights at MJUO are photometric, with a larger number available for spectroscopic work and direct imaging photometry.
MJUO is operated by the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
, and is the home of HERCULES (High Efficiency and Resolution Canterbury University Large Echelle Spectrograph
Echelle grating
An echelle grating is a type of diffraction grating which is characterised by a relatively low groove density but is optimized for high diffraction orders. Echelle gratings are, like other types of diffraction grating, used in spectrometers and similar instruments, such as HARPS, and numerous...
), and the observational wing of the Japanese/New Zealand MOA collaboration (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics
Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics
Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics is a collaborative project between researchers in New Zealand and Japan, led by Professor Yasushi Muraki of Nagoya University. They use microlensing to observe dark matter, extra-solar planets, and stellar atmospheres from the Southern Hemisphere...
) led by Professor Yasushi Muraki of Nagoya University
Nagoya University
Nagoya University is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:...
. A Japanese funded, 1.8 meter telescope is now in place and will be used initially by the MOA Project, before handover to the University of Canterbury at the conclusion of the MOA Project in 2012.
Facilities
There are 5 large telescopes on the mountain that are in regular use. There is also a cafe and night-tours run by tourist operators, Earth and Sky. There is accommodation for visiting researchers within the 1.0m building. A Superintendent lives on the mountain.MOA Telescope
Opened in 2004 December, this telescope was built by Japanese astronomers and is dedicated to the MOA project. It is a 1.8m prime focus reflector. The MOA telescope is the largest telescope in New Zealand.McLellan Telescope
This is a 1.0m Dall-Kirkham reflecting telescope run at either f/7.7 or f/13.5. Photometric imaging is by CCD camera and spectroscopy is by fibre-optic cable to the HERCULES spectrograph.Boller & Chivens Telescope
This is a 0.61m reflecting telescope run at either f/13.5 or occasionally f/6.25. Photometry is usually carried out using an Apogee Alta CCD camera.Optical Craftsmen Telescope
This is a 0.61m fork mounted reflecting telescope operating at f/16. This telescope is used exclusively for CCD photometry. It is currently being upgraded and commissioned for robotic use as part of the AAVSO's Robotic Telescope Network. This is the AAVSO's first Southern Hemisphere telescope.Earth and Sky Telescope
This telescope, used exclusively for visual tourist operations is a 0.4m Meade LX200 telescope.Discoveries
In June 2008 it was reported at the meeting of American Astronomical SocietyAmerican Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
that using their new MOA-II telescope, the observatory discovered what is at the time the smallest planet known outside of our solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
. The planet MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb
MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb
MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb, occasionally shortened to MOA-192 b, is an extrasolar planet approximately 3,000 light-years away in the constellation of Sagittarius. The planet was discovered orbiting the brown dwarf or low-mass star MOA-2007-BLG-192L. At a mass of approximately 3.3 times Earth, it is one of...
is just 3.3 times larger than Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and is orbiting a small star, MOA-2007-BLG-192L (3000 light years from Earth). There is some possibility the planet has a thick atmosphere and a liquid ocean on its surface.