Astronomical Observatory
NFC Observatory
NFC's Astronomical Observatory is a fully remote controlled research-grade facility, which can be used from anywhere with an internet connection. All functions, such as opening the dome, cooling the instrument camera, pointing the telescope, changing camera filters, taking images, and much more can be performed from a computer linked into the observatory computer. Some functions are performed automatically even when there is not an actual person sitting in front of a computer sending commands.Remote and robotic functions ensure that the optimal conditions for astronomical observations are maintained. Taking a astrophoto means shooting the night sky. To successfully obtain the beautiful images of galaxies and nebulae, long exposure times are usually needed, which also means that any undesired light from street lights or cars spoil image quality. Remote control eliminates the need of any person being actually at the observatory when in use, and therefore eliminates the presence of cars at the facility or the need of illumination for people to get safely around. The typical observation session uses three computer monitors as the virtual Control Room for the observers - and this Control Room can be an air conditioned room far away from the telescope and its cameras. - Mosquito free astronomy!
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Explanation of Clear Sky Chart.
Observatory Weather Station:
The weather station at the observatory delivers inside and outside temperatures, inside and outside humidity, rain rate and cumulative precipitation, wind speed and direction, and many more weather related information. All those data, together with a cumulative monthly weather report is automatically updated on campus servers.
Astronomy Projects
The moon, the planets, comets, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies, and more are targets for the observatory. The images above are the result of some of the past or current projects.Radio Telescope
Small radio telescope to detect the 21-cm line from neutral hydrogen atoms in the universe with a transition frequency of 1,420 MHz corresponding to a wavelength of 21.106 cm. The telescope is located across the parking lot from the Morris Steen Science Building.
Outreach
During one of Jefferson County's 4H Summer Camps students learned about astronomy, robots, and drones. At the end of the session a drone took an aerial photograph of the group, their counselors, and Director John Lilly in front of the observatory.
Technology
Main instrument consists of a Ritchey-Chrétien reflector with an effective focal length of 3444 mm and is equipped with a two-stage Peltier cooled SBIG 6303E camera. The camera is mounted behind an eight-position filter wheel loaded with Luminosity, Red, Green, Blue, H-alpha, OIII, and SII filters.
The telescope covers have been developed in cooperation with a team of senior engineering students under the leadership of Dr. A. Kamin at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering as their final Capstone project.
Above: Preliminary testing robotic function of the telescope covers. Since then, they have been a reliable component of the NFC Astronomical Observatory.