Tortugas Mountain Observatory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tortugas Mountain Observatory |
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| Organization | New Mexico State University | ||||
| Location | Las Cruces, New Mexico | ||||
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Coordinates
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32°17′35″N 106°41′53″W / 32.2931°N 106.6980°W
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| Altitude | 1,451 meters (4,760 ft) | ||||
| Established | 1963 | ||||
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The Tortugas Mountain Observatory (TMO) is a place where people study space. It is an astronomical observatory that belongs to New Mexico State University (NMSU). You can find it on Tortugas Mountain, also called 'A' Mountain, in southern New Mexico. It is about 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) southeast of Las Cruces. The observatory is also about 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) east of the NMSU campus.
The observatory started in 1963. It was guided by Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto. Its main job was to watch the planets. Much of the information gathered here is now online. It is part of the Planetary Data System, which NMSU helps manage. The first observatory building had two domes and was finished in 1964. But they started using one telescope in 1963. A second, bigger building with one large dome was built in 1967. It was at the other end of Tortugas Mountain. The observatory stopped being used regularly around 1999 or 2000. But the equipment was left in place. In 2008, it was used for the Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite project. This project studied the Moon. In 2010, people started working to get the observatory ready again. They wanted it to be used by the American Association of Variable Star Observers. This group studies stars that change brightness. As of 10 June 2011[update], the work was almost done.
Telescopes Used at TMO
The Tortugas Mountain Observatory has used several different telescopes over the years. Each one helped scientists learn more about space.
- A 0.61 m (24 in) Cassegrain reflector was put in place in 1967. This was the biggest telescope ever at TMO. It was the only one reported to be working after 1990. In the 1990s, it watched the clouds on Jupiter and the planet Saturn.
- A 0.41 m (16 in) Gregorian telescope was set up in 1963. It started working the next year. In 1974, it was changed into a Cassegrain reflector.
- A 0.32 m (13 in) Schmidt camera was finished in 1979. Clyde Tombaugh tested it in 1980 and 1981. But it was never officially reported as being used for observations.
- A 0.3 m (12 in) Newtonian/Cassegrain reflecting telescope was installed in 1963. It was built by J.W. Fecker, Inc.
- A 0.2 m (7.9 in) Cassegrain reflector was put in place in 1967. This one was made by Tinsley Laboratories.
