 ARCSAT andSDSS telescope buildings at the Apache Point Observatory. | |||||||||
| Alternative names | APO | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organization | Astrophysical Research Consortium | ||||||||
| Observatory code | 705, 645 | ||||||||
| Location | Sunspot, New Mexico | ||||||||
| Coordinates | 32°46′49″N105°49′13″W / 32.78028°N 105.82028°W /32.78028; -105.82028 | ||||||||
| Altitude | 2,788 meters (9,147 ft) | ||||||||
| Weather | 65% clear nights | ||||||||
| Established | 1985 (1985) | ||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||
| Telescopes | |||||||||
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  Location of Apache Point Observatory | |||||||||
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 Related media on Commons | |||||||||
TheApache Point Observatory (APO;obs. code:705) is anastronomicalobservatory located in theSacramento Mountains inSunspot,New Mexico, United States, approximately 18 miles (29 km) south ofCloudcroft. The observatory is operated byNew Mexico State University (NMSU) and owned by the Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC).[1] Access to the telescopes and buildings is private and restricted.[2]
The ARC was formed in 1984 with the goal of building the 3.5 m telescope. It originally consisted of five institutions:New Mexico State University,University of Washington,University of Chicago,Princeton University, andWashington State University, some of which have since withdrawn.[citation needed]
Several additional organizations have joined over time:Johns Hopkins University,University of Colorado,University of Virginia,Georgia State University,University of Oklahoma,University of Wyoming, andBrigham Young University. Funding for the 3.5 m and 0.5 m telescopes comes from the consortium members, but funds for the 2.5 m telescope come from a much wider array of sources. The 1.0 m telescope is supported exclusively by NMSU.[3]
The ARC 3.5 m (140 in) telescope is aRitchey-Chretien reflector on analt-azimuth mount with instruments attached at severalfocal points. Construction of the building began in 1985, but full operations of the telescope were delayed until November 1994 due to problems with fabricating theprimary mirror.[4] From 1991 until early 1993, the telescope was fitted with a 1.8 m mirror, now located atRothney Astrophysical Observatory under acost-sharing agreement.[5][6]
There are a variety of optical and near-infrared instruments available for the 3.5 m telescope, including:
The 3.5 m telescope is also used by theApache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation (APOLLO) lunar-ranging project. The APOLLO laser has been operational since October 2005, and routinely accomplishes millimeter-level range accuracy between the Earth and the Moon.[12][13]
Observations using the 3.5 m telescope can be carried out remotely by observers using TUI, the Telescope User Interface, via the internet.[14]
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The SDSS 2.5 m (98 in) telescope is used for theSloan Digital Sky Survey, and began operating in 2000. It is a Ritchey-Chretien reflector on an alt-azimuth mount housed under a roll-off enclosure. It was designed with an unusually large 3°field of view to better support its primary task ofsurveying the entire sky.[15]
The NMSU 1.0 m (39 in) telescope is a Ritchey-Chretien reflector set on an alt-azimuth mount, and was completed in 1994.[16][17] A 2048 × 2048 CCD mounted at theNasmyth focus provides at 15.7-arcminute view of the sky.[18]
The ARC Small Aperture Telescope (ARCSAT) was previously called the Photometric Telescope (PT) when it was part of the SDSS project. It is a 0.5 m (20 in) reflecting telescope on anequatorial mount, with a single CCD camera cooled by a CryoTiger unit.[19] It was built in 1991, moved from its previous location in 1998, and used by the SDSS until 2005.[20] It is currently used for small research projects.
TheMinor Planet Center credits the discovery of the followingminor planets directly to the Apache Point Observatory:[21]
| (227119) 2005 ND85 | 3 July 2005 | list |
| (245170) 2004 TE116 | 4 October 2004 | list |
| (254369) 2004 TD116 | 4 October 2004 | list |
| (268095) 2004 RJ257 | 9 September 2004 | list |
| (271691) 2004 RW106 | 9 September 2004 | list |
| (271801) 2004 TD78 | 4 October 2004 | list |
| (283979) 2004 RN170 | 8 September 2004 | list |
| (399680) 2004 TP21 | 4 October 2004 | list |
| (427855) 2005 NN67 | 3 July 2005 | list |
