About the Observatory
History of the Observatory
The Sonoma
State University Observatory was dedicated in the spring of 1976 to
support instruction in astronomy and to provide research opportunities
for students and faculty. The first public viewing night was held at the
observatory following the dedication and a commitment was made at that
time to continue Public Viewing Nights (PVNs)
at the observatory for as long as individuals from our surrounding community
and from the campus community continued to attend these events. PVNs at
the Observatory continue to be scheduled on a monthly basis.
The observatory building is a sliding-roof structure with 12 by 24 feet
of floor space located in a corner of the football stadium. This location
was, and continues to be, the darkest location on campus. The building
was designed and most of the construction was completed by Plant Operations
staff from the University. The construction funding was provided by the
campus. Equipment has been provided from the equipment budget of the Department
of Physics and Astronomy. The university has occasionally provided special
funds for special equipment (such as our first CCD camera), and community
businesses and individuals have occasionally provided donations of equipment
and funds to support the acquisition of special instrumentation. The Observatory
could not function as a research facility without these special donations.
Main Instrumentation
The Observatory has a Celestron 14-inch Schmidt- Cassegrain telescope,
which is used for instruction and for public viewing. However, the primary
research instrument is a custom built computer-controlled 10-inch f/5 telescope
with a cooled charge coupled device (CCD) camera. This system can point
to any location in the sky under computer control in less than one minute
of time with a precision of 1-2 arcminutes. This system produces digital
images which are 20 arcminutes on a side and contain approximately 250,000
pixels which are each 2 arcseconds across. The system can record 16th magnitude
objects with 1 minute exposures. Software is available for image processing
and for the determination of precise magnitudes and positions for objects
recorded in the images.
Primary Observatory Programs
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Instruction
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The primary use of the Observatory is for instruction in astronomy. The
courses which make most direct use of the Observatory are the laboratory
courses Astronomy 231 (Introductory
Observational Astronomy), and Astronomy 482 (Advanced
Observational Astronomy). A231 is an introductory general education
course which normally has several field trips to the Observatory. A331
is a general introduction to using observatory telescopes, using CCD cameras,
and using computer image processing techniques to analyze digital images.
A482 is a technical, pre-professional course designed to prepare students
for careers in astronomy or for graduate work in astronomy. Other astronomy
classes and other classes at the University also occasionally schedule
visits to the Observatory.
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Research
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Currently the main Observatory research programs involve monitoring the
brightness variations for selected classes of objects. (This is known as
photometry.) The Observatory continues to monitor brightness variations
for a selected sample of active galaxies. This program was initiated in
1976 using photographic techniques, but now uses CCD cameras. More recently
students and faculty have begun to monitor a selected sample of semi- regular
variables in an attempt to search for differences which depend on the levels
of obscuration by dust in the atmospheres of these giant stars. A third
research program is searching for new variable stars in the anti-center
region of our galaxy. Students are encouraged to participate in these research
programs or to develop their own programs in consultation with faculty
members. Interested persons should contact the Observatory Director, Dr.
Gordon G. Spear, for details (e-mail: gordon.spear@sonoma.edu,
phone: 707-664-2596).
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Public Viewing
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Public Viewing Nights (PVNs)
are scheduled at the Observatory approximately once each month. All are
invited to attend these events. See the current
schedule for dates and times. Those attending PVNs can expect to view
astronomical objects through one or more telescopes and to observe the
operation of the computer controlled telescope and the CCD camera system.
Student and faculty volunteers provide brief descriptions of the objects
as they are viewed. Observatory staff can also answer questions about the
Observatory, about astronomy, and about the Department
of Physics and Astronomy .
Visitors to the Observatory should be aware that astronomy is a "cold
weather sport" and should dress warmly, especially during the cooler times
of the year. It may also be helpful to bring a small flashlight for the
walk down the track. There is no charge for PVNs, but visitors must park
only in designated University parking areas. Parking is free on campus
after 5 p.m. on Fridays.
Availability
The SSU Observatory is available to enrolled students, faculty, and staff
of Sonoma State University for educational and research use. Students may
acquire appropriate training in the use of the Observatory by enrolling
in the appropriate courses offered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Contact the Observatory Director, Dr.
Gordon G. Spear, for details (e-mail: gordon.spear@sonoma.edu,
phone: 707-664-2596).