Adolphson Observatory
{{short description|Astronomical Observatory}}
{{Infobox observatory
| name = Adolphson Astronomical Observatory
| namedafter = David and Priscilla Adolphson
| organization = Monmouth College
| location = Monmouth, Illinois, U.S.
| altitude = 810 feet
| weather = https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/AdphsnObILkey.html?1%7C
| established = 2013
| telescope1_name = Trubeck Telescope
}}
The Adolphson Astronomical Observatory, located atop the Center for Science and Business{{Cite web |title=Center for Science and Business – Monmouth College |url=http://ou.monmouthcollege.edu/alumni/building.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327134538/http://ou.monmouthcollege.edu/alumni/building.aspx |archive-date=March 27, 2016 |accessdate=August 12, 2015 |website=Monmouth College |publisher=ou.monmouthcollege.edu}} in Monmouth, Illinois, U.S., on the campus of Monmouth College, was built in 2013. Its largest telescope is the 20-inch reflecting Trubeck Telescope.{{Cite web |title=Monmouth College's Adolphson Observatory home to new, research-grade telescope |url=http://www.galesburg.com/article/20150823/NEWS/150829903 |accessdate=October 1, 2015 |website=The Register-Mail |date=August 23, 2015 |publisher=www.galesburg.com}} The observatory is used for undergraduate student education, undergraduate research including the tracking and discovery of near-earth objects, and for public awareness of science.{{Cite web |title=Monmouth College Telescope Offers Research Opportunity, Community Involvement |url=http://www.ourquadcities.com/news/monmouth-college-telescope-offers-research-opportunity-community-involvement |accessdate=October 1, 2015 |first=Gretta |last=Patrick |website=OurQuadCities |date=September 16, 2015 |publisher=www.ourquadcities.com |archive-date=October 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022070736/http://www.ourquadcities.com/news/monmouth-college-telescope-offers-research-opportunity-community-involvement |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |title=Monmouth College Observatory Installs High Powered Telescope – WGIL 93.7 FM & 1400 AM |url=http://wgil.com/v3/2015/08/21/monmouth-college-observatory-installs-high-powered-telescope/ |accessdate=October 1, 2015 |date=August 21, 2015 |website=wgil.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221222544/http://www.wgil.com/2015/08/21/monmouth-college-observatory-installs-high-powered-telescope/ |archivedate=February 21, 2016 |url-status=dead}}
History
The observatory was established in 2013 by a gift from David Adolphson, a retired business executive, and his wife Priscilla Trubeck Adolphson, both graduates of Monmouth College. It provides upgraded accommodations for astronomical observation to students and faculty of Monmouth College from its fourth-floor dome atop the Center for Science and Business.{{Cite web |url=http://www.monmouthcollege.edu/information/newsEvents/newsDetails.aspx?Channel=%2fChannels%2fCampus+Wide&WorkflowItemID=a37e1a7c-e0e4-4599-badd-2c173f9935b2 |title=Gift from Adolphsons funds observatory atop CSB |date=March 20, 2014 |accessdate=August 11, 2015 |website=Monmouth College |publisher=www.monmouthcollege.edu |archive-date=June 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614132119/http://www.monmouthcollege.edu/information/newsEvents/newsDetails.aspx?Channel=%2fChannels%2fCampus+Wide&WorkflowItemID=a37e1a7c-e0e4-4599-badd-2c173f9935b2 |url-status=dead }}
Equipment
Donated in 2015 by William Trubeck, former chief financial officer of several major corporations and a Monmouth College graduate, the Trubeck Telescope is a 20-inch (0.51 m) Corrected Dall-Kirkham Astrograph reflector telescope manufactured by Planewave Instruments.{{Cite web |url=http://planewave.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/11/astro_tech_july_2009.pdf |title=The PlaneWave Instruments CDK |date=November 1, 2012 |accessdate=August 11, 2015 |website=PlaneWave |publisher=www.planewave.com |last=Hedrick |first=Richard |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110950/http://planewave.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/11/astro_tech_july_2009.pdf |url-status=dead }} Covering a 52 mm field of view, the f/6.8 optics are held by a carbon-fiber truss design and work with a large format CCD camera and computerized pointing and tracking system.{{Cite web|title = Monmouth College's Adolphson Observatory home to new, research-grade telescope |url=http://www.galesburg.com/article/20150823/NEWS/150829903/?Start=2 |accessdate=October 1, 2015 |website=The Register-Mail |publisher=www.galesburg.com}}{{Cite web |title=Planewave from Ian King Imaging |url=http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_products.php?category=173 |website=iankingimaging |accessdate=October 1, 2015 |publisher=iankingimaging.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318173319/http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_products.php?category=173 |archivedate=March 18, 2016 |url-status=dead}}
The Trubeck Telescope operates with a Software Bisque Paramount.{{Cite web |title=Bisque Paramount ME II Mount {{!}} PlaneWave Instruments |url=http://planewave.com/products-page/mounts/bisque-paramount-me-mount/#.VcoGmk10yUk |website=planewave |accessdate=August 11, 2015 |publisher=planewave.com |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110112726/http://planewave.com/products-page/mounts/bisque-paramount-me-mount/#.VcoGmk10yUk |url-status=dead }}{{Cite book |title=An Amateur's Guide to Observing and Imaging the Heavens |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ka1kAwAAQBAJ |publisher=Cambridge University Press|date = April 26, 2014 |isbn=9781107619609 |language=en |first=Ian |last=Morison}} Aiming software includes TheSkyX Professional Edition software which can provide simulated star charts from 4700 BC to 10000 AD and can aim the telescope at well over 1.2 million different astronomical objects.{{Cite web|title=TheSkyX Professional and Serious Astronomer Edition User Guide – Software Bisque |url=http://www.bisque.com/sc/media/p/30354.aspx |website=bisque |accessdate=August 11, 2015 |publisher=www.bisque.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811062026/http://www.bisque.com/sc/media/p/30354.aspx |archivedate=August 11, 2015 }} Adaptive Optics at the camera are provided by SBIG (Santa Barbara Instrument Group) AO-X hardware and software which provide increased clarity.{{Cite web |title=AO-X |url=https://www.sbig.com/products/adaptive-optics/ao-x/ |website=sbig astronomical instrumentation |accessdate=August 11, 2015 |publisher=www.sbig.com}} The telescope has spectroscopy capability that allows users to learn the chemical composition, temperature, luminosity and other details of celestial objects.{{Cite web |title=Monmouth College installs research-grade telescope |url=http://www.reviewatlas.com/article/20150821/NEWS/150829948/0/SEARCH |accessdate=October 1, 2015 |website=Daily Review Atlas |publisher=www.reviewatlas.com |archive-date=October 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001194010/http://www.reviewatlas.com/article/20150821/NEWS/150829948/0/SEARCH |url-status=dead }}
Four additional telescopes are also used by the observatory. A fifth telescope, a portable 11-inch Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain reflecting instrument with pointing software, was added in 2024.{{Cite web |last=McNamara |first=Barry |date=July 8, 2024 |title=New ‘Go-To’ Telescope |url=https://www.monmouthcollege.edu/live/news/4861-new-go-to-telescope |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=www.monmouthcollege.edu |language=en}}
Architecture
The observatory itself is of a Functional Moderne style. The observatory is situated approximately 40 feet above the ground atop a Neo-Georgian brick building constructed in 2013 with specific structural design features built-in to support it.
See also
References
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