Goodricke-Pigott Observatory facts for kids

The Goodricke-Pigott Observatory is a special place in Tucson, Arizona, where people study the stars. It's a private observatory, meaning it's not run by the government or a big university. It officially opened on October 26, 1996. That very night, astronomers used it to take pictures of a famous visitor from space, Comet Hale–Bopp.

The observatory gets its name from two important astronomers from a long time ago. They were John Goodricke and Edward Pigott. These two scientists lived in York, England, during the late 1700s. They spent their lives studying the night sky.

Telescopes at the Observatory

When the observatory first opened, it had a powerful telescope called a Celestron C14. This telescope was 0.35 meters (about 14 inches) wide. It was designed to collect a lot of light from distant objects.

Upgrades to the Main Telescope

Over time, the Celestron C14 telescope got some cool upgrades. It received a new lens to make images even clearer. It also got a new "clock drive." This special motor helps the telescope move slowly and smoothly. It keeps the telescope pointed at stars as the Earth turns.

An ST-4 star tracker was also added to the telescope. This device helps correct tiny wobbles in the telescope's movement. It makes sure the telescope stays perfectly aimed at the stars for long periods. This helps astronomers get very sharp pictures of space.

MOTESS: A Giant Sky Camera

The Goodricke-Pigott Observatory also has another unique instrument. It's called MOTESS, which stands for "Moving Object and Transient Event Search System." Think of MOTESS as a giant camera. It's always looking up at the sky. Its job is to find objects that are moving, like asteroids or comets. It also looks for sudden, bright events, like exploding stars.