Red Barn Observatory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Barn Observatory |
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| Organization | private | ||||||
| Location | Ty Ty, Georgia | ||||||
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Coordinates
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31°23′16.74″N 83°39′7.15″W / 31.3879833°N 83.6519861°W
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| Altitude | 107 meters (351 feet) | ||||||
| Established | 2006 | ||||||
| Website cometary.net |
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The Red Barn Observatory is a special place where scientists and sky-watchers study space. It was built in 2005 and started working in 2006. Its main job is to watch for asteroids, comets, and Near-Earth objects. These are rocky or icy objects that fly around in space.
The observatory got a special code, H68, in August 2006 from the Minor Planet Center. This center keeps track of all the small objects in our solar system. The observatory started with a "roll-off" roof. This means the roof can slide open to let the telescopes see the sky. There were plans to add a round dome in 2007.
Where is the Observatory?
The Red Barn Observatory is in Ty Ty, Georgia, USA. This spot is perfect because it's far from city lights. City lights can make it hard to see faint objects in the night sky.
Being in a dark place helps the observatory do its important work. It can easily watch for Near-Earth objects. These are space rocks that come close to Earth. It also looks for Potentially Hazardous Asteroids, which are asteroids that could be a danger if they get too close.
Scanning the Sky
The observatory also does a special "sky survey" in the early evening. This is like scanning the horizon for new comets or other unknown objects. These objects can be hard to spot because they are low in the sky.
Many comets found by amateur astronomers are discovered this way. It's like a treasure hunt for new things in space!
Future Plans
The people at Red Barn Observatory have exciting plans for the future. They want to start a program where amateur astronomers can help study asteroids.
This program would let people use the observatory's images online. They could then help measure the positions of detected asteroids or comets. This is called astrometry, and it helps us track where these objects are going.
Georgia Fireball Network
In July 2007, the Georgia Fireball Network began. This network watches the sky for bright meteors and fireballs. Fireballs are very bright meteors that look like a big flash of light.
There are two stations in this network. Station 1 is at the Deer Run Observatory in Buena Vista. Station 2 is right here at the Red Barn Observatory in Ty Ty, Georgia. Together, these stations watch over most of Georgia. They also cover parts of Florida and Alabama.
The owner and observer of the Red Barn Observatory is Steve E. Farmer Jr.
