Table Mountain Observatory
Encyclopedia
Table Mountain Observatory (TMO) is an astronomical
observation facility operated by NASA
's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(California Institute of Technology
). It is located in Angeles National Forest
near Wrightwood
, California
at an altitude of 7,500 feet.
TMO conducts high precision astrometric observations to support NASA and international spacecraft
mission navigation, and confirmation and recovery of Near-Earth object
s such as comet
s and asteroid
s that may potentially impact the Earth
.
The observatory is equipped with 0.6m and 0.4m astronomical telescope
s which use CCD
camera
s for imaging, photometry
, and astrometric
studies.
TMO is part of the Table Mountain Facility, located about 75 miles from JPL and 4 miles northwest of Wrightwood.
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
observation facility operated by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...
(California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
). It is located in Angeles National Forest
Angeles National Forest
The Angeles National Forest of the U.S. National Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, southern California. It was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel...
near Wrightwood
Wrightwood, California
Wrightwood is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California. It sits at an elevation of . The population was 4,525 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at an altitude of 7,500 feet.
TMO conducts high precision astrometric observations to support NASA and international spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
mission navigation, and confirmation and recovery of Near-Earth object
Near-Earth object
A near-Earth object is a Solar System object whose orbit brings it into close proximity with the Earth. All NEOs have a perihelion distance less than 1.3 AU. They include a few thousand near-Earth asteroids , near-Earth comets, a number of solar-orbiting spacecraft, and meteoroids large enough to...
s such as comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
s and asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s that may potentially impact the 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...
.
The observatory is equipped with 0.6m and 0.4m astronomical 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...
s which use CCD
Charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s for imaging, photometry
Photometry (astronomy)
Photometry is a technique of astronomy concerned with measuring the flux, or intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation...
, and astrometric
Astrometry
Astrometry is the branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars and other celestial bodies. The information obtained by astrometric measurements provides information on the kinematics and physical origin of our Solar System and our Galaxy, the Milky...
studies.
TMO is part of the Table Mountain Facility, located about 75 miles from JPL and 4 miles northwest of Wrightwood.
Instruments
- 0.6m Telescope
- 1K CCD NitrogenNitrogenNitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
Cooled Camera (Primary) - 1k CCD Nitrogen Cooled Camera (Secondary)
- 2K Camera
- 4K CCD Nitrogen Cooled Camera (Precision Astrometry)
- 1K CCD Nitrogen
- 0.4m Telescope
- 1K Apogee Camera
- 2K Apogee Camera
Objects discovered or confirmed
| MPC designation | Alternate name | MPC designation | Alternate name | MPC designation | Alternate name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90525 | Karijanberg | 115485 | 2003 UR19 | 116446 | 2004 AG |
| 116903 | 2004 GW | 128621 | 2004 RD | 129066 | 2004 VY28 |
| 134010 | 2004 VW28 | 143052 | 2002 WY2 | 145166 | 2005 JL |
| 147735 | 2005 NE | 147799 | 2005 RA34 | 149450 | 2003 CE14 |
| 149976 | 2005 UO6 | 150035 | Williamson | 152212 | 2005 RG |
| 152471 | 2005 WE1 | 158621 | 2003 BJ | 158899 | 2004 QO |
| 161384 | 2003 UK25 | 163626 | Glatfelter | 163950 | 2003 UN22 |
| 166609 | 2002 RF232 | 170025 | 2002 VO | 170026 | 2002 VV2 |
| 170027 | 2002 VH5 | 171287 | 2006 GK3 | 172460 | 2003 RT11 |
| 172533 | 2003 UO9 | 172627 | 2003 XP10 | 173075 | 2006 UC |
| 174758 | 2003 VX2 | 177065 | 2003 FP7 | 177245 | 2003 WB |
| 177625 | 2004 JD | 180103 | 2003 FX6 | 180213 | 2003 UM8 |
| 180216 | 2003 UY9 | 180537 | 2004 EB1 | 180731 | 2004 JW35 |
| 181492 | 2006 UU1 | 183309 | 2002 VQ | 183501 | 2003 FU4 |
| 184064 | 2004 GM | 185641 | 2008 EH69 | 186728 | 2004 CH2 |
| 187304 | 2005 UV | 188588 | 2005 NP29 | 188721 | 2005 UU |
| 189944 | 2003 TX | 190118 | 2004 VR60 | 115312 | Whither |
| 115477 | Brantanica | 115891 | Scottmichael | 120038 | Franlainsher |
| 120174 | Jeffjenny | 128297 | Ashlevi | 133280 | Bryleen |
| 133527 | Fredearly | 142084 | Jamesdaniel | 144692 | Katemary |
| 147397 | Bobhazel | 191323 | 2003 KN | 191485 | 2003 TO2 |
| 84882 | Table Mountain | 114239 | Bermarmi | 78577 | JPL |
| 95939 | Thagnesland |
See also
- Space observatorySpace observatoryA space observatory is any instrument in outer space which is used for observation of distant planets, galaxies, and other outer space objects...
- Fundamental stationFundamental stationA fundamental point is the geometric origin of a geodetic network and defines the geodetic datum of a national survey.Some fundamental stations are an astronomical or satellite geodetic observatory...
- Timeline of telescopes, observatories, and observing technologyTimeline of telescopes, observatories, and observing technology-3500s BC:*The earliest sundials known from the archaeological record are the obelisks ancient Egyptian astronomy and Babylonian astronomy-1900s BC:*Xiangfen Astronomical Observatory, Xiangfen County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province, China-600s BC:...
- List of astronomical observatories
- List of observatory codes
External links
- TMO website
- Table Mountain Facility website
- Photographic history of the facility
- Coordinates and satellite images of astronomical observatories on Earth
- Earth-based Observatories Profile by NASA's Solar System Exploration
- Milkyweb Astronomical Observatory Guide world's largest database of astronomical observatories since 2001 - about 2000 entries
- Map: Planetaria and Observatories
- List of amateur and professional observatories in North America with custom weather forecasts
- Table Mountain