Corralitos Observatory

Corralitos Observatory
Organization	Corralitos Astronomical Research Organization
Location	Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
Coordinates	32°22.6′N 107°02.4′W / 32.3767°N 107.04°W / 32.3767; -107.04Coordinates: 32°22.6′N 107°02.4′W / 32.3767°N 107.04°W / 32.3767; -107.04
Altitude	1,453 m (4,767 ft)
Established	1961
Website http://www.corralitos.org/home.html

Corralitos Observatory was an astronomical observatory located near Las Cruces, New Mexico. It was built on the same property as the Organ Pass Observatory and was dedicated in 1961, serving as a remote satellite station of Dearborn Observatory, Northwestern University.^[1]

In October 1965, a NASA program to detect transient lunar phenomenon (TLP) was begin by the staff.^[2] This was run until 1972 but did not confirm any TLP.^[3] 98 reports of TLEs were received from amateurs during this period, of which 39 were checked from Corralitos Observatory, mainly by students of Northwestern University.^[4]

On October 22, 1966, a specialized, wide-angle camera was set up at the observatory that used only mirrors. Sponsored by Crysler, this Schmidt-style telescope employed a 0.152 m (6.0 in) aperture correction mirror and a 0.3 m (12 in) spherical mirror with combined a 0.6 m (24 in) focal length. It was built as a test model for a far ultraviolet camera intended for the Apollo spacecraft. This may have been the first operational camera of its type.^[5]

During the 1970s, the first operational semi-automated supernovae search program was conducted at the observatory, using 0.6 m (24 in) and 0.3 m (12 in) Cassegrain telescopes. After the telescopes were automatically computer-aligned with a galaxy, it would take an image that was presented side-by-side with a stored picture for examination by an observer.^[6] In 1971, a photograph of Apollo 14 separating from the S4B rocket was taken by Justas Dunlap from the observatory.^[7]

In 1973, the site included a 0.6 m and a 0.4 m Cassegrain telescopes equipped with storage tubes, remote readouts and image orthicon chains. The 0.6 m telescope had automated operation capability controlled by a computer. A 0.3 m Cassegrain was available for photometry and the 0.15 m Crysler all-reflecting Schmidt telescope was still available.^[8] By 1977, only the 0.6 m and 0.4 m telescopes were reported as operational.^[9]

In 1978 operations at the site were halted due to funding issues,^[10] and in 1981 the observatory was transferred to the Corralitos Astronomical Research Association (CARA).^[1]

As recently as 1997, the observatory was reported to be engaged in long-term photometric monitoring of faint Be stars.^[11] The CARA website has not been updated since 2001,^[12] and there are no references to new observatory activities in the academic literature.^[13]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Guide to the J. Allen Hynek (1910-1986) Papers, Northwester University, http://findingaids.library.northwestern.edu/catalog/inu-ead-nua-archon-436, retrieved 2011-02-18 
2. ^ Hynek, J. A.; Dunlap, J. R. (February 1966), "A Lunar Transient Phenomena Detection Program", Astronomical Journal 71: 389, Bibcode 1966AJ.....71R.389H, doi:10.1086/110108 
3. ^ Rutkowski, C. (October 1981), "What is happening on the moon - Lunar Transient Phenomena", Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada 75: 237–241, Bibcode 1981JRASC..75..237R 
4. ^ Edith A. Müller, Arnost Jappel, ed. (1976), "Commission 17: The Moon", Proceedings of the sixteenth General assembly, 16, Grenoble: Springer, p. 151, ISBN 9027708363 
5. ^ Epstein, Lewis (April 1967), "All-Reflecting Schmidt Camera", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 79 (467): 132, Bibcode 1967PASP...79..132E, doi:10.1086/128453 
6. ^ Colgate, S. A.; Moore, E. P.; Carlson, R. (August 1975), "A fully automated digitally controlled 30-inch telescope", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 87: 572, Bibcode 1975PASP...87..565C, doi:10.1086/129812 
7. ^ Kantrowitz, Arthur (April 1971), "The Relevance of Space", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 27 (4): 33, http://books.google.com/books?id=IgsAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33, retrieved 2011-02-18 
8. ^ Hynek, J. A. (January 1973), "Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center and Dearborn Observatory, Evanston, Illinois; Corralitos Observatory, Las Cruces, New Mexico. Observatory reports", Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society 5: 164–166, Bibcode 1973BAAS....5..164H 
9. ^ Bahng, J. D. R. (March 1977), Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center and Dearborn Observatory, Evanston, Illinois; Corralitos Observatory, Las Cruces, New Mexico. Observatory reports, 9, pp. 142–143, Bibcode 1977BAAS....9..142B 
10. ^ Bahng, J. D. R. (January 1978), Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center and Dearborn Observatory, Evanston, Illinois. Observatory reports, 10, pp. 206–207, Bibcode 1978BAAS...10..206B 
11. ^ Percy, J. R. et al. (November 1997), "Photometric Monitoring of Bright Be Stars. III. 1988-89 and 1992-95", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 109: 1215–1220, Bibcode 1997PASP..109.1215P, doi:10.1086/133998 
12. ^ Corralitos Astronomical Research Association, http://www.corralitos.org/, retrieved 2011-11-01 
13. ^ "Corralitos Observatory since 2010", Google Scholar, http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Corralitos+Observatory%22&as_ylo=2010, retrieved 2011-11-01