Dome of 32" research 'scope at upper level, amateur scopes and bovine on either side.
photo by Rick Kang
Website updated 101 AM Friday, Feb. 5th, 2010. See info in News & Projects area re Research Proposal for Oregon Star Party this August! Want a classroom visit*?
Other updated sky viewing info in Current Sky section.
Details of LCROSS lunar impact at LCROSS Website. Several cameras on board did capture small plume, and lots of data indicated presence of water.
*Teachers, email or call to schedule outreach visits: contact Rick, rkang@efn.org to schedule visit to your class. Schedule for Spring begins to fill fast by February.
Community funders, we need dollars to support this ongoing program that furnishes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge to students! We are currently in a totally non-funded mode.
Pine Mountain Observatory is now closed for the Winter weather. Reopens sometime mid-Spring, we'll post notice.
Newly discovered very large but very diffuse ring around Saturn, linked to highly battered moon, Phoebe. See details at Spitzer Infra-Red Telescope website.
Link added to major website about 40th Anniversary of US Landing on the Moon, July 20th, 1969.
If you're into Black Holes, check out this site with FAQs about Black Holes. ------------------------------------------------------------ As the International Year of Astronomy comes to a close, there is a movement to continue featured items for each month, we'll post info shortly. ------------------------------------------------------ If you're interested in a Teacher Workshop, please contact Rick, rkang@efn.org. Doesn't look like we'll hold one at Pine Mountain until Spring. ----------------------------------------------------- GalileoScope info added to News and Projects area. This is a "Telescope for all students" concept. The instrument is a simple refracting telescope in kit form, very easy to assemble (no tools needed), and shows you the craters/mountains on the Moon, Moons of Jupiter, and other similar objects that Galileo saw for the first time, 400 years ago. Tip: download the 7 page instruction sheet from their site, much better directions than those that come with the kit. Mounted to a standard camera tripod (scope comes with correct nut securely fastened to bottom of telescope tube) you have an instrument that students of all ages will enjoy readily looking through, across the street, or at a daytime Moon (beware to NEVER VIEW NEAR SUN!). ----------------------------------------------------- Follow the NASA/JPL DAWN mission enroute asteroids Ceres and Vesta. Website link under Online Resources listing of Solar System missions. I'll discuss speed of mission in next IMAGE flyer.
The "What time is it, Where's the Sun?" international sky education program, with our collaborating school in Japan, may be restarted shortly. Your school is welcome to join us, email me for details!
Click here for details about our CLASSROOM OUTREACH and OBSERVATORY VISIT programs. To schedule outreach/visits and if you have questions, please go to the contact link. Quick info: OUTREACH: Rick Kang at rkang@efn.org or 541-683-1381, Eugene. VISITING PINE MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY: Mark Dunaway at markpmo@oregon.uoregon.edu, 541-382-8331, Bend. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
The Friends of Pine Mountain citizens' support group was established in 1978 as default curators of the Observatory pending hiring of a new Director to succeed the late Professor James Kemp. Since 1990, with the advent of UO Professor of Physics Greg Bothun's Electronic Universe concept, some members of the group have provided outstanding classroom and on-site Observatory outreach, plus staff development activities about astronomy and astrophysics to schools throughout Oregon and beyond. Several members continue as TourGuides at the Observatory during summertime. We reach about 100 schools and visit over 200 classrooms each school year. We'd be delighted to visitYOUR school or to have your school tour the Observatory! The formal Friends organization has "sunsetted" in 2009 as our primary mission has been fulfilled. A new group who have expertise in digital imaging, has formed with the mission of organizing high school and college students each summer at PMO to do small scale authentic research projects that result in publishing of actual scientific papers. Contact Rick, rkang@efn.org, if you're interested in joining as a student or a teacher this summer.
Welcome to
Website updated 101 AM Friday, Feb. 5th, 2010.
