Enjoy our images on social media at Facebook, X and Instagram:
|
|
Bring Your Telescope to Sierra Remote Observatories (SRO): An Ideal Site with Unparalleled Seeing Conditions for Astronomers, Space Industry Professionals and Astrophotographers.
An Introduction to Sierra Remote Observatories
SRO is a group of remote observatories located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and dedicated to remote and robotic data acquisition, imaging, satellite tracking and space communications. We have been operational continuously since 2007, with more than 200 telescopes currently on-site. We are uniquely located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in an area with excellent imaging conditions including:
• 1 arcsecond average summer seeing
• sub-arcsecond peak seeing (following astronomical twilight)
• dark skies at 21.78 mag/square arcsecond
• a very low incidence of thunderstorms
• no summer monsoons
• average wind speeds of only 1 mph
• an average of 290 clear nights per year.
SRO has been designed, from its inception, as the premiere site for astrophographers, scientists and space industry professions, in the northern hemisphere. We offer a variety of options for imagers, depending on their needs, and we allow our clients the option of being hands on, or having us assemble their equipment. We have overnight facilities and there are cabins and hotels just 15 minutes away. Our skies are arguably the best in the continental United States. There are several factors that account for this. The air arriving at SRO appears to be laminar, having come in from the pacific, over the central valley, with SRO located on one of the first bluffs of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Our darkness of 21.78 mag/sq arcsecond, coupled with our unique seeing, results in superb deep sky imaging. Many sites with even greater darkness are hampered by poor seeing. Though some sites may have a slight edge (21.78 vs 21.98) with darkness, their seeing is often 2 or 3 times less than SRO. With the moon hidden only 3-5 days/month, our baseline darkness, and our often sub-arcsecond late night seeing, the result is unparalleled and remarkably deep imaging at SRO.
We have easy access, being only one hour from the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport and 4 hours from Los Angeles or San Francisco, by car. We have robust, secure and fast fiber optic internet with satellite back up, network redundancy and 24/7 security. Our standard internet speed is 1 Gbps (full duplex) with higher gigabit speeds and dedicated fiber available. We have on-site technicians for daily repair and assistance. Roof control is based on on-site live weather telemetry. Clients have access to roof position files so they can optimize their imaging time and also have access to weather/seeing condition files. Our systems are redundant, including dual secure firewalls, an industrial grade Generac all-site generator and fiber optic internet backup with Starlink. We have recently added a large solar power array, slated for activation this summer. This will provide additional battery back up (in addition to our generator and PG&E power utility). In addition, our automatic transfer switch (ATS) allows our system to run in an uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Mode, with the power transfers being performed in under 10-20 milliseconds.
Our clients include astrophysicists, space industry professionals, astronomical institutes and advanced amateur imagers. We have more than 200 operational telescopes on site. Contact us if you have any questions or if you are looking for a unique site to place your telescope. Our website is www.SRO.space or www.sierra-remote.com and our email address is [email protected].
Keith Quattrocchi, MD, PhD
President and Founder
Sierra Remote Observatories
Read More
• 1 arcsecond average summer seeing
• sub-arcsecond peak seeing (following astronomical twilight)
• dark skies at 21.78 mag/square arcsecond
• a very low incidence of thunderstorms
• no summer monsoons
• average wind speeds of only 1 mph
• an average of 290 clear nights per year.
SRO has been designed, from its inception, as the premiere site for astrophographers, scientists and space industry professions, in the northern hemisphere. We offer a variety of options for imagers, depending on their needs, and we allow our clients the option of being hands on, or having us assemble their equipment. We have overnight facilities and there are cabins and hotels just 15 minutes away. Our skies are arguably the best in the continental United States. There are several factors that account for this. The air arriving at SRO appears to be laminar, having come in from the pacific, over the central valley, with SRO located on one of the first bluffs of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Our darkness of 21.78 mag/sq arcsecond, coupled with our unique seeing, results in superb deep sky imaging. Many sites with even greater darkness are hampered by poor seeing. Though some sites may have a slight edge (21.78 vs 21.98) with darkness, their seeing is often 2 or 3 times less than SRO. With the moon hidden only 3-5 days/month, our baseline darkness, and our often sub-arcsecond late night seeing, the result is unparalleled and remarkably deep imaging at SRO.
We have easy access, being only one hour from the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport and 4 hours from Los Angeles or San Francisco, by car. We have robust, secure and fast fiber optic internet with satellite back up, network redundancy and 24/7 security. Our standard internet speed is 1 Gbps (full duplex) with higher gigabit speeds and dedicated fiber available. We have on-site technicians for daily repair and assistance. Roof control is based on on-site live weather telemetry. Clients have access to roof position files so they can optimize their imaging time and also have access to weather/seeing condition files. Our systems are redundant, including dual secure firewalls, an industrial grade Generac all-site generator and fiber optic internet backup with Starlink. We have recently added a large solar power array, slated for activation this summer. This will provide additional battery back up (in addition to our generator and PG&E power utility). In addition, our automatic transfer switch (ATS) allows our system to run in an uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Mode, with the power transfers being performed in under 10-20 milliseconds.
Our clients include astrophysicists, space industry professionals, astronomical institutes and advanced amateur imagers. We have more than 200 operational telescopes on site. Contact us if you have any questions or if you are looking for a unique site to place your telescope. Our website is www.SRO.space or www.sierra-remote.com and our email address is [email protected].
Keith Quattrocchi, MD, PhD
President and Founder
Sierra Remote Observatories
Read More
Custom 14' x 14' Observatory Housing Three Telescopes (20", 14" and 8" CDKs)
|
Custom Observatory Housing a 20" CDK and 8" Folded Solar Refractor
|
Update: CDK 1000, Standard and Custom Astronomical Observatories, and Other New Expansion
At SRO we continue to have multiple options for our clients, depending on their specific needs. For most, we have several multi-telescope buildings, with a 5 foot radius around each pier. For those with smaller, short focal length telescopes, we also have our lower cost tripod option. And for those who either need a private observatory or plan to be at SRO for at least several years, we have both standard 10x12 foot private observatories and custom private observatories.
We are currently placing a custom observatory that will house both a CDK600 and CDK1000. This will be a 16 x 24 foot roll-off roof design. With our unique seeing and darkness, the long focal length of the CDK1000 will reach it's full potential at SRO. We are excited about this addition to SRO and will soon place a camera on the site of its construction, in the SRO website's telemetry section. Permitting you to see its progress. We expect construction to begin in a few weeks.
Custom private observatories have always been an important part of what we provide at SRO. Because wind and humidity are not major factors at SRO, some of our customers have preferred the less expensive (about 1/3 the cost) roll-off roof designs, as opposed to the classic dome observatories. Other customers, at the planning stages at this time, have opted for classic dome designs. Upon completion of their custom observatories our clients are able to continuously occupy these observatories continuously and indefinitely, at discounted rates (having paid for the construction). The custom observatories shown above/right (Building #16 and #17) are fully insulated with heating and cooling, so that the mirror will begin each night with a thermally equilibrated mirror. This is especially useful after an extremely hot summer day, when even the best of buildings can get hotter than the ambient temperature, and we can see a rapid drop in the temperature after sunset. The client can keep the mirror cooled to the expected temperature in the early evening. During the night, of course, this system will be deactivated as it is no longer needed and to protect the seeing conditions of the site. When it comes to custom observatories, the sky is the limit. Let us know your needs and we can make it happen for you at SRO. We have the seeing conditions necessary for larger telescopes and the expertise on site to keep your systems operating at peak efficiency.
In addition SRO has recently acquired another contiguous 5 acres of of space for further growth and development. This area will be used for multi-telescope buildings, private observatories and custom private observatories. We now have over 22 acres of contiguous land for set aside for future growth. In addition to our RV Lounge, there is a small house on the new property which, in the near future, will be available to our clients for breaks and overnight use.
We are currently placing a custom observatory that will house both a CDK600 and CDK1000. This will be a 16 x 24 foot roll-off roof design. With our unique seeing and darkness, the long focal length of the CDK1000 will reach it's full potential at SRO. We are excited about this addition to SRO and will soon place a camera on the site of its construction, in the SRO website's telemetry section. Permitting you to see its progress. We expect construction to begin in a few weeks.
Custom private observatories have always been an important part of what we provide at SRO. Because wind and humidity are not major factors at SRO, some of our customers have preferred the less expensive (about 1/3 the cost) roll-off roof designs, as opposed to the classic dome observatories. Other customers, at the planning stages at this time, have opted for classic dome designs. Upon completion of their custom observatories our clients are able to continuously occupy these observatories continuously and indefinitely, at discounted rates (having paid for the construction). The custom observatories shown above/right (Building #16 and #17) are fully insulated with heating and cooling, so that the mirror will begin each night with a thermally equilibrated mirror. This is especially useful after an extremely hot summer day, when even the best of buildings can get hotter than the ambient temperature, and we can see a rapid drop in the temperature after sunset. The client can keep the mirror cooled to the expected temperature in the early evening. During the night, of course, this system will be deactivated as it is no longer needed and to protect the seeing conditions of the site. When it comes to custom observatories, the sky is the limit. Let us know your needs and we can make it happen for you at SRO. We have the seeing conditions necessary for larger telescopes and the expertise on site to keep your systems operating at peak efficiency.
In addition SRO has recently acquired another contiguous 5 acres of of space for further growth and development. This area will be used for multi-telescope buildings, private observatories and custom private observatories. We now have over 22 acres of contiguous land for set aside for future growth. In addition to our RV Lounge, there is a small house on the new property which, in the near future, will be available to our clients for breaks and overnight use.
Client Lounge
|
|
This fall SRO added a 30' RV, which is now our client lounge at SRO. It has a kitchen and sitting area, shown above, with a full bathroom with shower and a small bedroom. It is available without charge to any client visiting SRO. It has heating and AC, and is fully winterized, being available 24/7 all year. The bedroom can be reserved by just contacting us (at [email protected]) with the dates you plan to stay. It has been placed beneath the solar panel array, leaving it protected in the event of a snow storm. The kitchen is fully stocked with food, sodas, coffee and tea. Towels and linens are available. It is a great place to cool off on a hot day, or warm up on a cold winters night. And if you need to sleep, it'll sleep up to 5. Eventually we'll be adding a permanent structure on the new property noted above, to further compliment our Client Lounge services.
Maintenance
|
|
Having been operational since 2007, maintenance is a fact of life at SRO. Recently we regraveled the site. We have avoided the use of concrete or asphalt, as they releases a significant amount of heat at night. Instead we placed 5" of compressed gravel throughout the entire site, so that you can park and walk to any part of SRO without dealing with dirt, dust or mud. IR testing of gravel, in direct contrast to concrete or asphalt, indicates minimal release of heat during the night, with tempertures similar to the surrounding ground and vegatation. This was a major project and utilized 23 large truck loads of # 3 and #4 stone heavily compacted with a compaction rollers.
What Else is New at Sierra Remote Observatories
New Multi-Telescope Buildings
Sierra Remote Observatories was founded in 2007 and has continued to grow, expand and improve . Initially there were just 8 small private observatories, with 6 large multi-telescope buildings added over the past several years. Several months ago, nearly every spot at SRO was taken, with over 125 telescopes currently installed. As a result two additional mid-sized multi-telescope buildings were recently completed and are operational with a few telescopes recently installed. Our continued growth is a testimate to our clients satisfaction with their experience at SRO, and we now have over 140 operational telescopes on site. Other recent updates over the past few years include our fiber optic internet upgrade. We now have standard 1 Gbps full duplex with higher gigabit speeds and dedicated fiber available. We have an on-site industrial grade Generac generator, redundant and secure firewall/VPN access, and Skylink as our satellite internet backup. Our roof control continues to utilize a customized version of the highly reliable and well-designed SkyRoof and SkyAlert. Weather condition and roof position files are available to our clients. |
Solar Power : Start up in September
Construction has rapidly progressed on the solar power array at SRO. We were concerned about our power usage and began to explore the possibility of taking advantage of our clear skies by producing our own electrical power. We decided on a robust system will have 120 solar panels, which will produce 48,000 watts. We will produce more energy than we use, returning extra power to PG&E. We also will have enough power for the potential growth of SRO. We also decided to design a system which will provide uninterruptable power under all conditions. This means having battery back-up when PG&E power (our power company) might fail. This system will be backed-up with two 18.5 Killowatt-hr Li-Fe-Phos batteries. With this feature a power interruption will not result in computers or switches rebooting, making small UPS unit next to the telescope (or other equipment) unnecessary (the switch over occurs in microseconds). In the event of a sustained power outage beyond the capacity of the batteries, the 27 kW generator will take over, again without any power disruption. As power returns the reverse sequence will commence. In all these scenarios, there should not be any power interruption. As with many of the redundant systems at SRO, we design them so you can focus on imaging and data collection, while we handle the many infrastructure issues. For more information about SRO, visit: www.sierra-remote.com |
Infrastructure Updates
At SRO we are continually improving and updating the infrastructure that allows uninterrupted data collection and imaging. Prior improvements include the addition of fiber optic internet with standard 1 Gbps full duplex with higher gigabit speeds and dedicated fiber available. Our fiber is backed up by Starlink. VPN access is performed through our dual (redundant) secure firewall. There is 24/7 surveillance at SRO. The owner lives on-site and SRO has full time technical support with technicians on site every day of the year and available for emergency services 24/7. Recently we added a skid steer tractor for all year use, including local snow plowing and crane utilization for larger telescopes and mounts. Most technical problems can be fixed on site. In the event an item needs to be returned for repair, we will ship it out and then reassemble the item. We also supply two hours per month of free support with additional support available, and will, without charge, assist you with your telescope installation and updating your equipment. In effect, if you cannot be present, we can install your telescope for you. Thereafter our staff will be your "eyes, ears and hands" on-site. Our goal is to make your remote data acquisition and imaging experience as trouble free as possible. In addition, we have added a whole site industrial grade Generac generator so that power will be present in the event of a PG&E power failure. A 120 panel solar system, with whole site battery backup and uninterruptible power, will soon be constructed (see prior article to the left). At SRO, we are continuously improving the extent and quality of our infrastructure so that you can focus on trouble free satellite tracking, space communications, data collection and astronomical imaging. Read More |
SRO: Other Updates and Improvements
Last year we completed work on our latest multi-telescope buildings, Buildings 13 and 14. Although nearly full, SRO has space available and we will continue to ensure we have space available at all times, building out as necessary. We've also completed one custom private observatory with another undergoing permitting and a third in the planning stages. These custom observatories give our clients exclusive and continuous rights to rent at a discounted rate. We have authorization for several additional buildings, including large multi-telescope buildings, custom observatories and dome observatories. At SRO, we have always embarked on new construction before our site becomes full, so we can always accommodate new clients.
At SRO we have 10 private observatories (Buildings 1-8, 15,16 and 17) and six large custom designed multi-telescope roll-off roof buildings. A new custom private observatory will be built this summer and will house both a CDK1000 and CDK600 (Building 20). There are 6 large multi-telescope buildings, Buildings 9 and 10 are 26 x 36 foot buildings with 9 foot ceilings, Buildings 11 and 12 are 30 x 40 foot with 10 foot ceilings (each building can house 14 telescopes), and Building 13 and 14 are 20 x 24 foot with 10 foot ceilings and can each house 8 telescopes. The large multi-telescope buildings were constructed for larger telescopes, with a 5 foot radius around each telescope and 9 to 10 foot ceilings. This allows us to easily handle larger telescopes, such as 28" or 32" telescopes in equatorial or Alt-Az configuration. We are able to put up custom domes or custom roll-off roof observatories for meter class telescopes. All of our buildings are built off the ground (for "below the floor" airflow) with wooden floors (no concrete slabs), in order to allow for more rapid thermal equilibrium. Even our roads are gravel and not asphalt, as asphalt slowly releases heat throughout the night and significantly disturbs the seeing conditions.
SRO has its new Headquarters in a property adjacent to SRO. The owner lives there and our on-site technicians also live nearby in Auberry. This greatly simplifies our ability to provide support at any time, 365 days each year. In addition a new 5.2 acre lot was purchased by SRO, bringing our site to 20.2 acres within the protected Sierra National Forest.
In addition to these new and established buildings, we continue to update our infrastructure. Currently we have fiber optic internet with standard 1 Gbps full duplex and the option of dedicated fiber at higher gigabit speeds. These dedicated lines are already in place and available for customers who need private and dedicated fiber optic lines. We have an improved and standardized roof control system (modified SkyRoof and SkyAlert), emergency satellite internet backup (Starlink) and 24/7 security. We have two full time technicians on site 7 days a week, with emergency help available 24 hours a day. Our firewall is secure and redundant with a dedicated failover backup unit. We have an on-site Generac Generator with a thousand gallon propane tank, which can supply power for weeks in the unlikely event of a sustained power outage (see solar array article above). As the article on our solar power system details (see the article above), we have a 120 panel solar array with integrated battery and generator backup, in addition to our PG&E electrical utility company, providing uninterruptible power to SRO. This array will produce 48,000 watts with integrated battery backup (two 18.5 Killowatt-hr Li-Fe-Phos batteries). We recently added a powerful skid steer tractor (New Holland 345), which can be used as a snow plow, forklift or crane for installing larger telescopes and mounts. SRO will no longer depend on others for these delicate and important activities.
We have virtually every size and brand of telescope at SRO, and offer discounted pricing for smaller telescopes. With our unparalleled seeing conditions we are an exceptional site for larger aperture and longer focal length telescopes, for which multiple options, such as multi-telescope observatory, private observatories and custom private observatories, are available. We currently have more than 200 operational telescopes at SRO.
Our goal at SRO has always been to build a site which is as trouble free and as seamless as possible, so our clients can focus on unencumbered satellite tracking, space communications, data acquisition and astronomical imaging. We continue to strive to be the premiere site for astronomical data collection and imaging for astronomers, space industry professionals and astrophotographers.
Keith Quattrocchi
President and Founder
Sierra Remote Observatories
At SRO we have 10 private observatories (Buildings 1-8, 15,16 and 17) and six large custom designed multi-telescope roll-off roof buildings. A new custom private observatory will be built this summer and will house both a CDK1000 and CDK600 (Building 20). There are 6 large multi-telescope buildings, Buildings 9 and 10 are 26 x 36 foot buildings with 9 foot ceilings, Buildings 11 and 12 are 30 x 40 foot with 10 foot ceilings (each building can house 14 telescopes), and Building 13 and 14 are 20 x 24 foot with 10 foot ceilings and can each house 8 telescopes. The large multi-telescope buildings were constructed for larger telescopes, with a 5 foot radius around each telescope and 9 to 10 foot ceilings. This allows us to easily handle larger telescopes, such as 28" or 32" telescopes in equatorial or Alt-Az configuration. We are able to put up custom domes or custom roll-off roof observatories for meter class telescopes. All of our buildings are built off the ground (for "below the floor" airflow) with wooden floors (no concrete slabs), in order to allow for more rapid thermal equilibrium. Even our roads are gravel and not asphalt, as asphalt slowly releases heat throughout the night and significantly disturbs the seeing conditions.
SRO has its new Headquarters in a property adjacent to SRO. The owner lives there and our on-site technicians also live nearby in Auberry. This greatly simplifies our ability to provide support at any time, 365 days each year. In addition a new 5.2 acre lot was purchased by SRO, bringing our site to 20.2 acres within the protected Sierra National Forest.
In addition to these new and established buildings, we continue to update our infrastructure. Currently we have fiber optic internet with standard 1 Gbps full duplex and the option of dedicated fiber at higher gigabit speeds. These dedicated lines are already in place and available for customers who need private and dedicated fiber optic lines. We have an improved and standardized roof control system (modified SkyRoof and SkyAlert), emergency satellite internet backup (Starlink) and 24/7 security. We have two full time technicians on site 7 days a week, with emergency help available 24 hours a day. Our firewall is secure and redundant with a dedicated failover backup unit. We have an on-site Generac Generator with a thousand gallon propane tank, which can supply power for weeks in the unlikely event of a sustained power outage (see solar array article above). As the article on our solar power system details (see the article above), we have a 120 panel solar array with integrated battery and generator backup, in addition to our PG&E electrical utility company, providing uninterruptible power to SRO. This array will produce 48,000 watts with integrated battery backup (two 18.5 Killowatt-hr Li-Fe-Phos batteries). We recently added a powerful skid steer tractor (New Holland 345), which can be used as a snow plow, forklift or crane for installing larger telescopes and mounts. SRO will no longer depend on others for these delicate and important activities.
We have virtually every size and brand of telescope at SRO, and offer discounted pricing for smaller telescopes. With our unparalleled seeing conditions we are an exceptional site for larger aperture and longer focal length telescopes, for which multiple options, such as multi-telescope observatory, private observatories and custom private observatories, are available. We currently have more than 200 operational telescopes at SRO.
Our goal at SRO has always been to build a site which is as trouble free and as seamless as possible, so our clients can focus on unencumbered satellite tracking, space communications, data acquisition and astronomical imaging. We continue to strive to be the premiere site for astronomical data collection and imaging for astronomers, space industry professionals and astrophotographers.
Keith Quattrocchi
President and Founder
Sierra Remote Observatories
Above: SRO with two additional multi-telescope observatories (two large observatories in right background). All buildings are fully operational, with over 200 telescopes in use. The site has been continuously operational since first light in 2007.
Contact Information and Images from SRO
Fisheye view of SRO with the 4 larger multi-telescope buildings in the foreground and some of the 8 smaller private observatories in the background.
A view from inside SRO's Multi-Telescope Building 9. This building hosts more than 12 telescopes with a 4-5 foot radius around most telescopes. Note the wooden floor, as cement slabs emit stored heat during the night, contaminating the seeing characteristics.
We will happily install your entire imaging system for you. We have an on-site crane and other services available. Or, if you'd rather just have some assistance, we can do that as well. Complete turn-key installations are available with Planewave Instruments.
|
The SRO newsletter is sent out semiannually. Our goal is to keep clients and interested professionals aware of changes, updates and projects at SRO. Feel free to contact us by phone or email at any time and with any questions you may have. Our phone numbers and email are listed below : Contact Information: Corporate Address Sierra Remote Observatories 42120 Bald Mountain Road Auberry, CA 93602 Corporate: 559-855-2473 Cell: 530-401-0643 (PST) [email protected] Observatory Location: Auberry, California General Inquiries: [email protected] President & Founder Keith Quattrocchi [email protected] 530-401-0643 (PST) Senior Technical Support: Sam Miller [email protected] & Evan Cornelson [email protected] Website: www.sierra-remote.com or www.SRO.Space |
The iTelescope.Net's 24" Planewave CDK.
The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand's (NARIT's) 0.7 meter Planewave telescope (CDK 700).
Winter view of our Multi-Telescope Buildings 9 and 10. More than a dozen telescopes of various size are ready to observe the night. The roll-off roof design is ideal for our site, as we have essentially no wind and only modest humidity. Classic dome observatories can be placed on request.
|
View Astrophotography from SRO on Your Favorite Social Media:
SRO® and Sierra Remote Observatories® are Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Banner images by Keith Quattrocchi, Eric Coles and Mel Helm
Banner images by Keith Quattrocchi, Eric Coles and Mel Helm