Stony Ridge Observatory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stony Ridge Observatory |
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Site in 2014
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| Organization | Stony Ridge Observatory, Inc. | ||||
| Location | Angeles National Forest Los Angeles Co., CA, USA |
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Coordinates
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34°18′5.6″N 117°59′52.4″W / 34.301556°N 117.997889°W
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| Altitude | 1,730 m (5,676 ft) | ||||
| Established | 1957 | ||||
| Website Stony Ridge Observatory |
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Stony Ridge Observatory is a special place where people study stars and space. It was built in 1957 by amateur astronomers. These are people who love studying space as a hobby. It's located high up in the mountains of Los Angeles County, California.
The main telescope at Stony Ridge is very powerful. It is a 760 mm (30 in) Newtonian-Cassegrain reflector. When it was first set up, it was one of the largest amateur telescopes in the United States. This telescope helped discover three asteroids. These asteroids are named 10168 Stony Ridge, 144633 Georgecarroll, and 327030 Alanmaclure. The observatory also helped with a big project. They took many pictures of the Moon. This helped decide where astronauts would land on the Moon.
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What Can You Find at Stony Ridge Observatory?
The observatory has several important buildings. There is an administration building. This building has a small kitchen and a bunkroom. There is also a dome that holds the big 30-inch telescope. A vault-style outhouse is also on site.
The observatory has electricity and a phone line. However, water must be brought in. Stony Ridge is in a remote area. It is north of Mount Wilson. It is also near Charlton Flat in the Angeles National Forest.
How the Observatory Survived a Wildfire
In September 2009, a large wildfire threatened Stony Ridge. This fire was called the Station Fire. It burned a huge area around the observatory. Luckily, the observatory was mostly safe. Only one side of the outhouse had minor fire damage. The plants around the buildings were burned. But the main observatory buildings were saved.
Bringing the Telescope Back to Life
In 2017, some big projects were finished. These projects helped fix up the observatory. They put back the original drive systems for the telescope. These systems help the telescope move smoothly. They were designed by George Carroll.
A new "go to" system was also added. This system uses a computer. It can point the telescope at objects in space. These objects might be too faint to see with your eyes. The main mirrors of the telescope were also cleaned. They were old and damaged by smoke from the wildfire. Cleaning them helps the telescope see clearly again.
Images for kids
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Site in 2014
