Apollo Observatory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Apollo Observatory |
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| Organization | Miami Valley Astronomical Society | ||||
| Location | Dayton, OH | ||||
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Coordinates
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39°47′20″N 84°12′06″W / 39.788823°N 84.201794°W
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Apollo Observatory is a special place where people study the stars and planets. It's like a big science lab for looking at space! The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery owns it, and the Miami Valley Astronomical Society helps run it. You can find this observatory in Dayton, Ohio, in the United States.
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Exploring the Apollo Observatory
The Apollo Observatory got its name from Project Apollo, which was a famous space program. It was officially opened in 1969. The observatory is near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB). Because of this, many talented engineers and optics experts from the Air Force helped with its design and building.
Building the Telescope
The Miami Valley Astronomical Society (MVAS) and the Museum worked together to raise money. They chose a design by Richard Buchroeder. Members of the Society, many of whom worked in optics and engineering, then built the telescope. The first design was a bit tricky to keep working well. So, it was later changed to a simpler Dall-Kirkham Cassegrainian design. This type of telescope uses mirrors to gather light.
Inside the Observatory Building
The original building for the observatory and its 50-centimeter (20-inch) telescope was planned with advice from MVAS members. The first floor used to have a special lab for testing optical equipment. It also had a space where people could grind and polish mirrors for telescopes.
In 1991, the Museum was updated. During this update, a new Digistar Planetarium was added. This meant the MVAS optical workshop areas had to be removed.
What's on the Second Floor?
The second floor of the Apollo Observatory has a large meeting room. This is where the Miami Valley Astronomical Society holds its monthly meetings and social events. Next to the meeting room is the MVAS library. Members can borrow books and other materials from this library. The main 50-centimeter telescope is also on the second floor, just south of the meeting room.
The MVAS says that their 50-centimeter telescope is one of the biggest available for amateur astronomers in southwest Ohio. However, growing light pollution from city lights can make it harder to see faint objects. Also, the building's own heat can affect how clear the views are. These things limit how useful the telescope is for serious study.
See also
- List of astronomical observatories
