UCI Telescope
Our new observatory, located on the campus of U.C. Irvine and operated by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, houses an Autoscope computer controlled 24 inch reflecting telescope. The principal instrument for capturing images is an SBIG model ST-6, 375 pixel by 242 pixel, thermo-electrically cooled CCD camera. The camera is controlled by a 486 PC computer, which also serves to record and process the images. A unique computerized star atlas, provided by Software Bisque, allows student astronomers to control the telescope with a click of the mouse button. The facility is linked to the campus via ethernet and telephone lines.Site preparation and telescope installation were completed in March, 1994. Since then, faculty, staff, and students have been working to calibrate and align the telescope. Sophisticated telescope control software is currently being written to improve pointing accuracy to within 1 minute of arc anywhere in the sky.
The observatory is intended for use primarily as a teaching laboratory for Physics and Astronomy courses. An ongoing effort is being made to integrate use of the observatory into course curriculum. Students enrolled in the Physics 20 course series have an opportunity each quarter to make direct observations using the telescope. Physics Advanced Lab students will soon use the telescope to make quantitative spectroscopic and photometric measurements in their studies of astrophysical phenomena.
In response to the high level of interest generated by the UCI observatory, the Department of Physics and Astronomy has initiated an informal Community Outreach program. A number of tours and demonstrations have been conducted at the observatory for various campus and community organizations during the past year.
A Gopher site has been established as a means of keeping the campus and community apprised of activities at the observatory, and to provide public access to images and data. The image files are saved in an 8-bit .gif file format, and may be transferred to any .gif compatible viewer. The gopher site is directly reachable on world wide web from the department home page http://www.ps.uci.edu/physics/, or directly as gopher://observe.cwis.uci.edu:7058/1.
We welcome your input. Please direct your questions and comments to Jim Kelley via EMAIL at JWKELLEY@UCI.EDU or call (714) 824-6038.