Sierra Remote
Observatories Newsletter.Issue.8 June 1, 2018
Observatories Newsletter.Issue.8 June 1, 2018
Sierra Remote Observatories, an Ideal Site for Astronomers, Space Industry Professionals and Astrophotographers
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 and imaging. We will host your telescope. We have been operational continuously since 2007. We are uniquely located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with excellent imaging conditions including:
We have easy access, being only one hour from the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport and 4 hours from Los Angeles, by car. We have robust, secure and fast fiber optic internet with satellite back up and network redundancy and security. Roof control, opening and closing, is based on on-site live weather telemetry with our clients having access to root position files so they can optimize their imaging time. Our clients include astrophysicists, space industry professionals, astronomical institutes and advanced amateur imagers. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or if you are looking for a unique site to place your telescope.
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SRO is a group of remote observatories located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and dedicated to remote and robotic data acquisition and imaging. We will host your telescope. We have been operational continuously since 2007. We are uniquely located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with excellent imaging conditions including:
- one arcsecond summer seeing
- dark skies at 21.78 mag/sq arcsecond V band
- a very low incidence of thunderstorms
- no summer monsoons
- average wind speeds of only 1 mph
- maximum wind gusts averaging only 10 mph
- an average of 237 clear nights per year.
We have easy access, being only one hour from the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport and 4 hours from Los Angeles, by car. We have robust, secure and fast fiber optic internet with satellite back up and network redundancy and security. Roof control, opening and closing, is based on on-site live weather telemetry with our clients having access to root position files so they can optimize their imaging time. Our clients include astrophysicists, space industry professionals, astronomical institutes and advanced amateur imagers. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or if you are looking for a unique site to place your telescope.
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Science at SRO
SRO saw first light in 2007. It was originally a site for amateur astrophotographers who were interested in a site with dark skies and excellent seeing conditions. Over time amateur astrophotographers began working with professionals. Currently most of our new clients are astrophysicists, space industry and astronomical institute professionals. We take pride in the growth of scientific studies and space industries at SRO. Read More |
New Cyclope Seeing Monitor
Our Alcor Systems Cyclope Seeing Monitor was recently installed and continues to demonstrate 1 arcsecond summer and 1.2 arcsecond winter seeing at SRO. The Cyclope seeing monitor is used world wide and is an industry standard. All of our seeing data statistics are from data collected over 3- 5 years and includes hundreds of thousands of data points. Seeing is typically sub arcsecond after midnight. Read More |
Infrastructure Updates at SRO
At SRO we are continually improving and updating the infrastructure that allows uninterrupted data collection and imaging. We have fast fiber optic internet, satellite internet backup and secure router connectivity with redundancy. SRO has full time technical support. Most problems can be fixed on site or shipped out and reassembled. |
In the Spotlight
We are honored to spotlight Dr. Jurgen Wolf, an astrophysicist at the University of Stuttgart and a Principal Investigator and Site Manager for SOFIA, The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, in association with NASA. At SRO, Dr. Wolf installed The Astronomical Telescope of the University of Stuttgart (ATUS), about three years ago. The ATUS is a 0.6 meter fully reflective telescope in a Ritchey-Chrétien configuration and made by Officina Stellare in Italy. The ATUS Telescope has provided data used in the study of trans-Neptunian objects through stellar occultation and far-infrared photometry.
Recent NASA APOD from Astrophotographers
The image above of NGC 3628 in Leo was taken and processed by Dr. Mel Helm and Eric Coles at SRO. It was published as an APOD on May 3, 2017. The image was taken over several nights with a 16" Ritchey-Chretien telescope and an SBIG STXL-11002 camera. Read More |
Current Clients at SRO
There are currently over 40 telescopes in operation at SRO, some operational since the observatories first light in 2007. Our clients include astronomers, space industry and astronomical institute professionals, as well as advanced astrophotographers. We take pride in the depth and diversity of our clients, spanning the gamut of from scientists to amateur astrophotographers. |
The original eight 10 x 12 foot roll-off roof observatories and the two newer large multi-telescope buildings. A new third and fourth multi-telescope building will be constructed by fall or winter of 2018.
The Astronomical Telescope of the University of Stuttgart (ATUS) was established by the University's Institute of Space Systems with support of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and funded by the DLR Space Administration.
The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand's (NARIT's) 0.7 meter Planewave.
The Korean Astronomy and Space Sciences Institute (KASSI's) 24" OGS. They are conducting polarimetry of the moon's surface.
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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 are listed below and you can email us with questions at: Info@SROservice.com Contact Information: Corporate Address 1865 E. Alluvial Ave, Ste 102 Fresno CA 93720 Phone: 530-401-0643 Observatory Location: Auberry, California General Inquiries: Info@SROservice.com Founder and Observatory Manager Mel Helm mel@SROservice.com Founder, New Observatory Projects and Marketing Manager Keith Quattrocchi keith@SROservice.com 530-401-0643 Founder, Finance, Contracts & Human Resources Manager Anna Bator anna@SROservice.com Technical Support: Evan Cornelson evan@SROservice.com & Sam Miller sam@SROservice.com Website: www.sierra-remote.com |
The iTelescope.Net's 24" Planewave CDK.
Dick Post's 24" PlaneWave CDK on a Mathis Fork Mount. Dick Post is an advanced amateur astronomer and a member of the AAVSO.
Dr. Fred Ringwald's 16" DFM Ritchey-Chretien Telescope. Dr. Ringwald, an astrophysicist at Fresno State University, has published dozens of peer reviewed articles on cataclysmic variables with data from SRO.
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