Big Bear Solar Observatory

Big Bear Solar Observatory

Organization	New Jersey Institute of Technology
Location	North Shore of Big Bear Lake, California
Coordinates	34°15′54″N 116°53′30″W
Altitude	6,750 feet (2,075.4m)
Webpage	[1]
Telescopes
Telescopes	65 cm vacuum reflector 25 cm vacuum refractor 20 cm full disc telescope

The Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) is an astronomical telescopic observatory with main interests in studying the physics of the Sun. The instruments and telescopes of the observatory are designed and employed specifically for studying the activities and phenomena of our solar system's sun. The observatory is also participating in an experiment in helioseismology with the use of a GONG telescope from the Global Oscillation Network Group. The BBSO is operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

The BBSO is located on the north shore of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, San Bernardino County, California. A special peninsula has been built to put the observatory building into the open waters of the lake.

About the observatory

The observatory was built by the California Institute of Technology in 1969. The location of Big Bear was optimum for its clarity of sky. The Lake surface is about 6,750 feet above sea level. Its position out on the peninsula provides a cooling effect on the atmosphere surrounding the building and eliminates ground heat radiation waves that normally would cause heat wave aberrations. Management of the observatory was transferred to NJIT in 1997. Funding comes from NASA, the National Science Foundation, the US Air Force and other agencies.

Instruments

File:BBSO2.jpg

telescope instruments of the BBSO.

File:BBSO4.jpg

The new dome

The observatory has been operating with a 65 cm vacuum reflector telescope, a 25 cm vacuum refractor, and a 20 cm full disc telescope. The 65 and 25 cm scopes study sunspots while the 20 cm full disc scope tracks the whole round of the sun from sun up to sun set.

By late spring 2007 it is planned that the 65 cm, 25 cm and 20 cm scopes be replaced by a new 1.6 meter, open frame, clear aperture telescope. The 20 cm telescope will be replaced by a similar telescope in an additional small dome. The old dome has been replaced with a larger, more spherical, ventilated dome to contain the new 1.6 meter telescope.

Tours

The observatory is open for public tours every Saturday during July and August from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information contact the observatory at:

Big Bear Solar Observatory

40836 North Shore Lane

Big Bear City, CA 92314

Phone: (909) 866-5791

Public tours have been canceled for the summer 2007 season due to ongoing construction at the observatory.

Solar images

File:BBSO3.jpg

Top: Sun with Planet Mercury crossing its face. The small black dot at the top of the Sun is Mercury. Bottom photos: Shots of the sun in hydrogen-alpha light through the 20 cm full-disc telescope. The left-hand image is a normal contrast image. The right-hand image, acquired on a different day, has the contrast enhanced by removing the limb darkening.

See also

• List of observatories

Reference

1. "Big Bear Solar Observatory homepage". Big Bear Solar Observatory. Retrieved June 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

External links

• Big Bear Solar Observatory Clear Sky Clock Forecast of observing conditions.