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Welcome to
the Observatory
at Pine Mountain!

Dome of 15"
telescope in
foreground.

Dome of 32"
research 'scope
at upper level,
amateur scopes
and bovine on
either side.

photo by
Rick Kang

Website updated 500PM, Monday, Aug 16th, 2010, minor changes.

Pine Mountain Observatory open for public tours Friday and Saturday evenings through end of September.

Teachers, email or call to schedule outreach visits:
contact Rick, rkang@efn.org to schedule visit to your classroom this coming Fall.

Community funders, we need dollars to support the classroom outreach
program that furnishes Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge to students!  We are
currently in a totally non-funded mode and with school budgets
cut even deeper this coming year, our program will shrink further
without assistance!  Please contact Rick, rkang@efn.org if you
can help.  Thanks much!

To schedule visit to Pine Mountain for your class, this Fall, please
contact Mark Dunaway, markpmo@oregon.uoregon.edu, or
541-382-8331 to make reservation and obtain cost info.

Venus, Mars, and Saturn do their swansong low in post sunset western sky.

Stunning images of our Sun posted by Solar Dynamics Observatory.
 
Research Camp at PMO first week of August was great success, lots of data taken, should be several research papers forthcoming.

Details of LCROSS lunar impact at LCROSS Website.
Several cameras on board did capture small plume,
and lots of data indicated presence of water.

Mark Dunaway and Kent Fairfield are looking for Tourguides
for Pine Mountain Observatory this coming summer.  Check the
Bend Astronomy Meetup Group website for details, and contact
Mark, markpmo@oregon.uoregon.edu, or Kent, tualatinkent@aol.com
for further information.

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.
-----------------------------------------------------
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.

News about Outreach Programs, Analog Moon Computer device, new International Project,  how to visit Pine Mountain Observatory, and other noteworthy Oregon Astronomy sites. 

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 visit YOUR 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.

 
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