GENERAL
INFORMATION about PINE MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY, 2005
WHAT IS PINE MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY (PMO)?
PMO is a University of Oregon facility for astronomy education
and
research. The observatory consists of three Cassegrain reflecting
telescopes,
with mirrors of 15", 24", and 32" diameters, each in its own domed
building.
Digital cameras are mounted to the 24" and 32" instruments. There
is
a high speed (T1) Internet server on site.
CAN THE PUBLIC VISIT PINE MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY?
YES! We welcome visitors on Friday and Saturday evenings (we’re
closed
Sundays) from late May through last Friday/Saturday in September,
weather
permitting. Please let us know in advance if you plan to bring a
group
of over eight people. Programs commence at 900 PM through
mid-summer,
then move back to 830 PM and 800 PM start times by September as
darkness
falls earlier. We encourage a $3.00 donation per person. We
may
be able to arrange visits at other times by advance reservation.
Skies
need to be clear, "Dark Moon" weekends are best. Virtual tour at http://pmo-sun.uoregon.edu/~pmo/tour.html
.
WHERE IS PINE MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY? HOW DO I GET THERE?
PMO is about 30 miles southeast of Bend, in Central Oregon. Take
State
Highway 20 east from Bend, toward Burns. 26 miles from Bend, just
beyond
the tiny Millican store (no gas available!), turn right (south) on the
dirt
road and follow it to the top of Pine Mountain, about 8 miles.
This
is about an hour's drive from Bend. Be sure you have enough fuel to
return
to Bend, and be sure to bring warm clothing and perhaps some
non-alcoholic
beverages in case you get thirsty.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT WHEN I VISIT PINE MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY?
At sunset, a tour-guide gives a presentation inside the 32" building
about
basic astronomy. The audience learns what Astronomers do and how they
do
it including how our telescopes and digital CCD Cameras work. After
dark,
tour-guides show visitors objects through the various telescopes, CCD
Cameras,
and a pair of giant binoculars, and point out various objects of the
night
sky visible with naked eye. As you view objects, tour-guides
explain
in detail about what you see. The 15" telescope is used for visual
observing.
The 24" is also currently available for visual use and has a
piggybacked
CCD Camera to create wide-field images. Visitors can "take a
galaxy
or nebula home" on disc (the digitized image). The 32"'s camera
and
drive system have been upgraded and are in service for research Sunday
through
Thursday but the telescope configuration prevents visual use. If
the
sky stays clear, we often stay up all night viewing! Often some
of
the tour-guides set up their personal telescopes for guest viewing,
some
of the scopes are larger than the telescopes in the domes!
Amateur
astronomers are welcome to bring their own telescopes and binoculars,
electrical
power is available.
IS THERE A PLACE TO CAMP OVERNIGHT? (nearest motels are in
Bend)
Yes, a primitive Forest Service Public Campground,
first-come-first-serve
is just across the road from PMO and rarely full. No fees.
Open
fires are regulated by danger levels set by the Forest Service. Bring
water
to drink and extra water to douse campfires.
WHAT PRECAUTIONS ARE RECOMMENDED?
PMO is 6300 feet high, therefore, temperatures can get below freezing
even
on summer nights. Please bring warm clothing! The buildings
are
separated by natural mountain terrain and stairs, and the buildings
contain
stairs. Please wear protective footwear and expect to climb
steps.
You should bring a SMALL flashlight to help you find your way in the
dark,
but try to provide a red colored shield for your flashlight, to protect
everyone's
night vision. We welcome children (grade school and up), but
small
children and infants will probably not be comfortable in this
environment.
PLEASE CALL (541) 382-8331 (PMO-on Bend exchange) FOR INFO/RESERVATIONS
and
to schedule visits of classes/groups to PMO.
MAP TO PMO:
MAP TO PMO:Hwy 97 from Portland
| 26 miles east Hwy 20 from
Eugene------Bend-----------Millican---------east to Burns just past
Millican,turn
| south on dirt rd,| PMO is 8 miles up mountain
X
EDUCATIONAL/CONNECTIVITY INFO for PINE MOUNTAIN
OBSERVATORY
2004
contact Rick Kang, Friends of PMO, 541-683-1381,
Eugene
rkang@efn.org
SCIENCE is Discovery: Asking Questions, Taking Data, and Forming
Rational
Conclusions. Modern ASTRONOMERS (ASTROPHYSICISTS) take data while
sitting
at workstations often far away from the actual telescope...YOU are
invited to join these modern OBSERVERS, to make your own discoveries!
Objects in the Universe are separated by vast distances, many
LIGHT-YEARS.
Astronomers need high-tech tools to GATHER, RECORD, and ANALYZE
the faint light (few photons) from these distant objects.
TELESCOPES use large mirrors to GATHER the light.
CHARGE-COUPLED-DEVICE (CCD) CAMERAS efficiently electronically RECORD
faint light to produce mosaic-like DIGITAL images of distant targets.
Exposures of only several SECONDS reveal objects invisible to the eye.
COMPUTERS ANALYZE the digital images by modifying contrast and
measuring intensities of the collections of pixels. Detail
literally
POPS OUT on the CRT screen! Positions and brightness are readily
measured. Digital files are easy to store and send via DISC or
INTERNET,
offering anyone easy access to authentic data.
HOW DO I FIND ASTRONOMY INFO and PINE MTN EDUCATIONAL INFO ON THE
WEB?
*** http://pmo-sun.uoregon.edu
the main Pine Mountain site
*** http://pmo-sun.uoregon.edu/~pmo/
Friends of PMO educational site
Cable connectivity and latest version of browser software highly
recommended!
WHERE IS INFO ABOUT CLASSROOM OUTREACH, PROJECTS, REMOTE IMAGING?
See "Info for Teachers & Students" area on
the
Friends of PMO web site. We encourage teachers to visit PMO and to
bring
their students. We offer staff development seminars and classroom
outreach
to acquaint teachers and students with basic astronomy, modern
technology,
and our CCD Digital Observing Project (CCDDOP) where students
take
actual scientific data from the sky, using INTERNET to remotely operate
a
CCD Camera mounted on a large telescope. You need TIMBUKTU
communications
software from Netopia to use CCDDOP, and there is a $20 user fee for
imaging
sessions.
Contact Rick, 541-683-1381, rkang@efn.org
about outreach/remote imaging,
Contact Mark, 541-382-8331, markpmo@oregon.uoregon.edu
to schedule tours of PMO.
WHAT IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAMS/IMAGE FORMATS ARE AVAILABLE?
Richard Berry's Astronomical Image Processing (AIP) software is
excellent
for WIN platforms. Professor Bothun is developing a JAVA applet
for
handling FITS images via the Web to allow access by MAC users.
Images
are primarily in .STx or FITS format. Archived images are posted in GIF
format
on our web site.
WHO RUNS THE VISITORS'/EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS? HOW DO I GET
INVOLVED?
Friends of Pine Mountain Observatory (FOPMO), a group of dedicated
volunteer
amateur astronomers, primarily from Bend, Eugene, and Portland, serve
as
Tour-Guides and also operate the classroom outreach program. Many
Friends
contribute important material, skilled labor, and financial
resources.
We are always looking for new people to get involved, and we offer an
extensive
training program.
Send $20.00 (suggested annual enrollment fee, more if you can) made out
to
Friends of PMO to Bob Ewing Membership VP, FOPMO, PO Box 5795, Eugene,
Oregon,
97405. (503-324-6083)
