OPPORTUNITIES FOR OBSERVING WITH THE MSU
24-INCH (60CM) TELESCOPE
Observing time on the MSU
telescope has always been made available for observers outside of MSU who have a
serious scientific project for which observations made with our 24-inch might
be helpful. This telescope is now being
modernized and refurbished under a PREST grant from the National Science
Foundation. This modernization should
make the instrument more flexible and of greater use to outside observers.
Capabilities
The main instrument now on the telescope is an Apogee Ap47p
CCD camera. This can provide BVI imaging
with a field of view of 11 x 11 arcmin. It is expected that a wider field CCD camera will
be added to the telescope late in 2005 or early 2006. Until the PREST refurbishment is completed
(sometime late in 2005), the Ap47p camera will not, however, have an automated
filter wheel. Given the sky conditions
in
Examples of the kind of work
that can be done with this telescope can be seen in
LaCluyze et al. 2004 “The
Changing Blazhko Effect of XZ Cygni”,
Astronomical Journal, 127, 1653
LaCluyze et al. 2001, “The
Changing Amplitude of the Delta Scuti Star AN Lyn”,
Information Bulletin on Variable Stars, 5180, 1.
Observing with the MSU Campus Telescope
Observations for outside observers can be obtained in
two ways. The observers can visit MSU, and
be instructed in using the telescope by the observatory staff. Or, the observatory staff can be requested to
obtain the necessary observations.
“Observatory staff” here mainly means MSU faculty and students.
What to do if you are interested in observing
Horace Smith (smith@pa.msu.edu,
517-355-9200 x2415) is the contact person.
Please get in touch with him if you are interested in observing. He will update you on the state of the PREST program
refurbishments and on what the current capabilities of the instrument are.