Pine Mountain Observatory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pine Mountain Observatory |
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Telescope domes at Pine Mountain
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| Organization | University of Oregon | ||||||||
| Location | near Bend, Oregon | ||||||||
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Coordinates
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43°47′29″N 120°56′27″W / 43.7915°N 120.9408°W
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| Altitude | 1,920 meters (6,300 ft) | ||||||||
| Established | 1967 | ||||||||
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The Pine Mountain Observatory (PMO) is a special place where people study space. It's owned by the University of Oregon and is located near Bend, Oregon in the Deschutes National Forest. This observatory sits on top of Pine Mountain.
Scientists found this spot in 1965, and the observatory has been open since 1967. It helps people learn about the universe.
PMO also teaches students about space. High school students can even analyze data and write papers. The observatory has created software for younger students too. This software lets teachers do observations from their classrooms.
Besides teaching, PMO helps with important research. Scientists study things like white dwarf stars. They also look at the huge structures of galaxies in space.
Exploring the Universe: Telescopes at PMO
Pine Mountain Observatory has several powerful telescopes. Each one helps scientists and students see different parts of space.
- A 0.82 m (32 in) telescope was built in 1970. It uses a special camera called a CCD to take pictures of space. This camera is very sensitive to light.
- The first telescope at the observatory was a 0.6 m (24 in) telescope. It was set up in 1967.
- An older 0.38 m (15 in) telescope was used before PMO even opened. It was later moved to the observatory.
- A newer 0.36 m (14 in) telescope was added in 2015. It's called the "Robbins" telescope. Students at the University of Oregon use it for their research. They can even control it from their campus!
Discoveries and Research
The Robbins telescope and the 0.6 m (24 in) telescope are both used for important research. Scientists and students use them to learn more about stars, planets, and galaxies.
Visiting the Observatory
Pine Mountain Observatory welcomes visitors! It is open to the public every weekend. You can visit from Memorial Day until the last weekend of September. It's a great chance to look through the telescopes and learn about space.
