Wyoming Infrared Observatory

File:WIRO dome.jpg

The {{convert|2.3|m|in|abbr=on}} WIRO telescope is a classical Cassegrain reflector optimized for infrared observing. The secondary mirror can be "wobbled" under computer control to allow for rapid sampling of adjacent areas of the sky. From 1977 to around 1980 the telescope was the largest functional infrared telescope in the world.

Two instruments are available for use:

• WIRO-Prime, a 2048x2048 charge-coupled device (CCD) imaging camera mounted at the prime focus.
• WIRO-Long Slit, a low resolution, high efficiency long slit spectrograph.

The telescope is used for a wide variety of research. It helped identify a new Globular star cluster within the Milky Way Galaxy as part of a 2004 effort with the Spitzer Space Telescope. In 2016 the telescope again assisted efforts using the Spitzer telescope to identify and discover around 100 of the fastest-moving known stars in the Milky Way.

Other discoveries made at the observatory include:

• The first dust formation episode in a Wolf-Rayet star was recorded on UY Scuti soon after the telescope's first light in 1979.

• Red Buttes Observatory
• List of astronomical observatories
• List of largest infrared telescopes

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite web |title=University of Wyoming Infrared Observatory |url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~chip/wiro/ |publisher=University of Wyoming Infrared Observatory |access-date=2012-01-08}}

{{cite web |url=https://homepages.spa.umn.edu/~gehrz001/UM_UCSD_Wyoming_axis_V16_01_16_09.pdf |publisher=University of Minnesota | title=The History of Infrared Astronomy: the Minnesota-UCSD-Wyoming Axis | last=Gehrz |first=Robert| access-date=29 August 2021}}

{{cite journal |last1=Gilbert|first1=I. J. |last2=Kobulnicky|first2=H. A. |last3=Kiminki|first3=D. C. |title=The Discovery of Several Probable Runaway Stars in the Cygnus X Region |journal=American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #213 |date=January 2009 |series=Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society |volume=41 |pages=442.19 |bibcode=2009AAS...21344219G |publisher=American Astronomical Society }}

{{cite journal |last1=Fox|first1=O. D.

|last2=Kutyrev|first2=A. S.

|last3=Bonnell|first3=J. T.

|last4=Norris|first4=J. P.

|last5=Klein|first5=C. R.

|last6=Bloom|first6=J. S.

|title=Comparing The Temporal Evolution Of NIR And Fermi/LAT Observations Of Blazars |journal=American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #217 |date=January 2011 |series=Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society |volume=43 |pages=142.49 |bibcode=2011AAS...21714249F |publisher=American Astronomical Society }}

{{cite journal |last=Kiminki |first=D. C. |title=Massive binary stars as a probe of massive star formation |publisher=University of Wyoming |date=2010 |bibcode=2010PhDT.......135K |pages=135 }}

{{cite web |title=WIRO-Prime Optical Imager |url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~chip/wiro/prime.html |publisher=University of Wyoming Infrared Observatory |access-date=2012-01-08}}

{{cite web |title=WIRO Long Slit Spectrograph |url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~chip/wiro/long_slit.html |publisher=University of Wyoming Infrared Observatory |access-date=2012-01-08}}

{{cite journal |url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005AJ....129..239K/abstract |title=Discovery of a New Low-Latitude Milky Way Globular Cluster Using GLIMPSE |journal=The Astronomical Journal |bibcode=2005AJ....129..239K |access-date=August 29, 2021|last1=Kobulnicky |first1=Henry A. |last2=Monson |first2=A. J. |last3=Buckalew |first3=B. A. |last4=Darnel |first4=J. M. |last5=Uzpen |first5=B. |last6=Meade |first6=M. R. |last7=Babler |first7=B. L. |last8=Indebetouw |first8=R. |last9=Whitney |first9=B. A. |last10=Watson |first10=C. |last11=Churchwell |first11=E. |last12=Wolfire |first12=M. G. |last13=Wolff |first13=M. J. |last14=Clemens |first14=D. P. |last15=Shah |first15=R. |last16=Bania |first16=T. M. |last17=Benjamin |first17=R. A. |last18=Cohen |first18=M. |last19=Dickey |first19=J. M. |last20=Jackson |first20=J. M. |last21=Marston |first21=A. P. |last22=Mathis |first22=J. S. |last23=Mercer |first23=E. P. |last24=Stauffer |first24=J. R. |last25=Stolovy |first25=S. R. |last26=Norris |first26=J. P. |last27=Kutyrev |first27=A. |last28=Canterna |first28=R. |last29=Pierce |first29=M. J. |last30=Canterna |first30=R. |display-authors=1 |year=2005 |volume=129 |issue=1 |pages=239–250 |doi=10.1086/426337 |arxiv=astro-ph/0410400 |s2cid=5414764 }}

{{cite web |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160112160917.htm |title=Runaway stars leave infrared waves|website=sciencedaily.com |publisher=Science Daily |access-date=August 29, 2021}}

{{cite journal |last1=Hackwell |last2=Gehrz | last3=Grasdalen |name-list-style=amp |date=December 1, 1979 |title=RY Scuti - Silicates around an early-type supergiant binary system |url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1979ApJ...234L.129G |journal=Astrophysical Journal |volume=234 |pages=L129 |doi=10.1086/183123 |bibcode=1979ApJ...234L.129G |access-date=August 29, 2021}}

}}

• [http://physics.uwyo.edu/~chip/wiro/ Homepage for the University of Wyoming 2.3-meter Telescope (WIRO)]
• [http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/WIROQYkey.html?1 Clear Sky Clock] for WIRO: forecasts of observing conditions.

{{University of Wyoming}}

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Category:Astronomical observatories in Wyoming

Category:Buildings and structures in Albany County, Wyoming

Category:University of Wyoming buildings and structures

Category:Infrared telescopes

Category:Astronomy in the United States

Category:1970s establishments in Wyoming

Category:University and college buildings completed in 1975