RIT Observatory
Encyclopedia
Rochester Institute of Technology Observatory is a small astronomical
observatory
owned and operated by Rochester Institute of Technology
. It is located in Henrietta
, New York
(USA).
The observatory is primarily used to teach undergraduate astronomy labs, although some research relating to cataclysmic variables and asteroid occultations also takes place.
There are one telescope dome and one roll-off shed on the premises, both housing telescopes. RIT owns a 12' Meade telescope, a 16' telescope, and several smaller refracting telescope
s. In addition, a two-element radio interferometer based on the SIMPLE design is being constructed and will be used as a teaching instrument to expose students in astronomy labs to observations at other wavelengths.
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 Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
. It is located in Henrietta
Henrietta, New York
Henrietta is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Rochester. The population was 42,581 at the 2010 census. Established in 1818, the town is named after Henrietta Laura Pulteney, Countess of Bath, daughter of Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet, a major British...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(USA).
The observatory is primarily used to teach undergraduate astronomy labs, although some research relating to cataclysmic variables and asteroid occultations also takes place.
There are one telescope dome and one roll-off shed on the premises, both housing telescopes. RIT owns a 12' Meade telescope, a 16' telescope, and several smaller refracting telescope
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
s. In addition, a two-element radio interferometer based on the SIMPLE design is being constructed and will be used as a teaching instrument to expose students in astronomy labs to observations at other wavelengths.