Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy facts for kids

The Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy (MIRA) is a special place where scientists study stars and space. It's a non-profit observatory near Monterey, California. MIRA was the first private observatory in the United States to open in the 20th century.

How MIRA Began

MIRA started in 1972. Its name, MIRA, comes from a unique star and also from the Spanish word "mirar," which means "to look."

The idea for MIRA came from Bruce Weaver and Craig Chester. They were astronomy students who wanted a place to do long-term research without the usual pressures of university life. They needed a large telescope to study stars. At first, opening their own observatory seemed like a joke, but it soon became a serious plan.

A famous astronomer named Bart Bok really liked their idea and encouraged them. This led them to talk about their plan at other universities. At the University of Maryland, they heard about a 36-inch mirror that NASA had built but never used. It was sitting at Princeton University.

Bruce Weaver met with Martin Schwarzschild, the director of the Princeton Observatory, at a breakfast. This meeting led to Princeton lending the mirror to the students "indefinitely" (meaning for a very long time).

Now that they had the mirror, they needed a good location. They knew that mountains near the ocean often have clear skies, which is great for looking at stars. They chose Chews Ridge in the Santa Lucia Range, which is about 5,082 feet high. There was already a dirt road and a fire tower nearby, which helped. In 1974, the Forest Service gave them permission to use the land. The students moved to Monterey County and took part-time jobs to save money for land in Cachagua Valley.

In 1978, a group called "Friends of MIRA" was formed at the home of famous photographer Ansel Adams. This group helped raise money. MIRA also received a $76,000 grant to build a telescope around the 36-inch mirror. The Army Engineers even helped build the last half-mile of road to the observatory in 1975. Many astronomers, including Bart and Priscilla Bok, donated their collections of books and journals to MIRA's library.

In its early days, MIRA focused on studying stars in our own galaxy, looking at how they form and change. They wanted to create a huge database of information for future astronomers. When MIRA officially opened in 1982, it was a big moment, being the first private observatory to open in the U.S. in the 20th century.

MIRA's Main Locations

MIRA has two main locations: its offices and shops in Marina, California, and its research observatory in the remote Los Padres National Forest.

The Marina campus is right next to the California State University, Monterey Bay campus, but MIRA is completely independent. This campus includes:

• The Richard Hamming Astronomy Center, which has offices and the Priscilla Fairfield Bok library.
• The Ralph Knox Shops, where they work on mechanical, electrical, and optical parts.
• The Elma Ross Library.
• The Bette M. and William R. Weaver Student Observatory (WSO), which has a 14-inch computer-controlled telescope for students and the public to use.

The Big Telescope on Chews Ridge

MIRA's main research observatory is called the Bernard M. Oliver Observing Station. It's located on Chews Ridge in the Los Padres National Forest. Scientist Bernard M. Oliver gave a large gift that helped pay for a quarter of the observatory's construction costs.

Chews Ridge was chosen because it has cool weather and smooth air coming off the Pacific Ocean. This helps astronomers get clear, sharp images of stars. The mountains also block city lights from Greenfield, California, making the sky very dark. A caretaker lives at the observatory all year round.

The building was designed by an amateur astronomer and architect, Lawrence Bernstein. It looks more like a ski lodge than a typical observatory. It has a special roll-off roof that slides back completely to avoid shaky air that can blur images. The building is also set on a hollow pier to prevent air currents from affecting the telescope. There's a separate control room for the operator.

Because the Chews Ridge area sometimes has gun shells lying around, the building was designed to be bullet-proof, with angled windows to protect the inside. For fire safety, the walls are filled with gravel. If the outer wall burns, the gravel is released to put out the flames.

The observatory houses a 36-inch Cassegrain telescope that is controlled by computers. It has special tools called Spectrographs and cameras to study light from space. The observatory mostly makes its own power using generators, batteries, and solar panels. A large 16,000-gallon tank collects rainwater, which also helps keep the telescope stable. A windmill on the ridge also provides power. The Oliver station is unique because its entire roof slides back, instead of just having a small dome opening. This helps avoid air turbulence that can happen with traditional domes.

What MIRA Does

MIRA offers many activities and programs:

• In 1971, students Bruce Weaver and Craig Chester first thought about opening their own observatory.
• MIRA was officially formed in March 1972.
• In 1973, MIRA members watched Comet Kohoutek.
• In 1975, MIRA members used portable telescopes for their first viewing from the Chews Ridge site, seeing Nova Cygni.
• In 1978, a special tool called a Spectrograph was added to the telescope.
• In 1982, MIRA discovered an area in the Southern Hemisphere where new stars were forming.
• In 1992, MIRA celebrated its 10th anniversary with public tours.
• In 2016, the caretaker at the Oliver Observing Station hosted over 1,000 firefighters during the Soberanes Fire.

Craig Chester once said, "MIRA astronomers see themselves as pioneers. We identify with the small, relatively backward observatories. We would like to share with these folks who don't have a lot of resources. We would like to be copied."

MIRA also offers lectures, classes, and events for the community. They have a program where you can borrow a telescope. They also offer hands-on internships for local schools and the Naval Postgraduate School.

Photo gallery

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  The Priscilla Fairfield Bok library

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  Meeting room

Images for kids

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  OOS at Sunrise

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  MIRA's Oliver Observing Station with the roof rolled off