MDM Observatory

MDM Hiltner 2.4 m Telescope

MDM McGraw-Hill 1.3 m Telescope

The MDM Observatory is an optical astronomical observatory on Kitt Peak (west of Tucson, Arizona, USA), adjacent to Kitt Peak National Observatory. It is owned and operated by the University of Michigan, Dartmouth College, Ohio State University, Columbia University, and Ohio University. The "MDM" acronym stands for Michigan-Dartmouth-MIT, because the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was part of the operating consortium in the past.

It has two reflecting telescopes, the 2.4 m Hiltner Telescope (since 1986), used for galactic surveys, and the 1.3 m McGraw-Hill Telescope (since 1975), which was originally located near Ann Arbor, Michigan.^[1]

Hiltner Telescope

The mirror of the 2.4 m Hiltner Telescope is aluminum coated Cer-Vit, and usable foci include f/7.5 and f/13.5 Cassegrain foci. ^[2] The telescope was built in 1986 and the mirrors were re-polished in 1991.^[3] It was named after astronomer W. Albert Hiltner (1914-1991).^[4]

McGraw-Hill Telescope

The 1.3 meter, actually 1.27 m clear aperture, telescope is aluminum coated Cer-Vit (low thermal expansion glass), and usable foci include f/7.5 and f/13.5.^[5] The telescope was originally installed at Stinchfield Woods, Michigan in 1969, and moved in 1975 to MDM.^[1]

Gallery

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  View from the Point

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  View down Kitt Peak from MDM

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  View up Kitt Peak from MDM

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  Opening the Dome

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  Instruments

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  Instruments

References

1. ^ ^{a b} MH Telescope Specifications
2. ^ http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/obs/mdm/technical/hiltner.html
3. ^ http://www.site.uottawa.ca:4321/astronomy/HiltnerTelescope.html
4. ^ http://bentley.umich.edu/observatory/history/directors/hiltner.php
5. ^ http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/obs/mdm/technical/mcgraw.html

External links

• MDM Observatory
• Aerial view of observatory
• Kitt Peak Clear Sky Clock Forecasts of observing conditions.

Coordinates: 31°57.10′N 111°36.95′W / 31.9517°N 111.61583°W / 31.9517; -111.61583