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Last Updated:
March 7, 2010
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Onan Observatory
Welcome to the Minnesota Astronomical Society's
Onan Observatory web site! Select a topic of interest from the table of
contents at the left, or scroll down for observatory news
highlights. If you have a question about the observatory that's not
answered here, please send an e-mail to
onaninfo@mnastro.org,
or leave a message in the Minnesota Astronomical Society's voice
mail box at 952-467-2426.
New Equipment at the Observatory
Pictured above is the latest addition to the Onan Observatory
-- an Obsession Dobonsian-style reflecting telescope with a
20" primary mirror, making it the largest telescope at the
observatory in terms of light gathering ability! Thanks to
Reverend Eugene Brown for his generosity!
This new telescope joins an already impressive collection of
observatory equipment:
- A computer controlled Meade 16" Schmidt-Cassegrain
sitting atop a massive concrete pier
- Two state-of-the-art systems -- one primarily for visual
observing, the other intended for video-enabled observing.
Each system has multiple refracting and reflecting telescopes, each
selected with a specific purpose in mind and installed atop computer-controlled Paramount ME mounts
- Standalone and mounted solar viewing telescopes equipped
with h-alpha filters
- 15x80 binoculars on a portable parallelogram mount
- And more!
To support the new video-enabled system, the
observatory is wired with color monitors and video switching
equipment, allowing dozens of visitors to simultaneously view
objects being observed.
There is now no other all-volunteer public observing facility anywhere in the United
States with a similar range of capabilities. Come out to an
upcoming event at the observatory and prepare to be astounded by
the glories of our universe!
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| The
Meade 16" SCT telescope
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| The
visual system
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The
video / imaging system
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The
two systems on the main observing floor
(note the wall-mounted monitors associated
with the video / imaging system)
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| All
photographs copyright, David Olmstead |
2010 Recap
Total observatory attendance at public, special and other events
in 2010 was 3,848 people!
Attendance from past years
| Year | Attendance | Note |
| 2003 | 2500 | (1900 at Star Parties, 600 at Mars Watch Event) |
| 2004 | 1800 | - |
| 2005 | 2058 | - |
| 2006 | 1500 | - |
| 2007 | 2385 | - |
| 2008 | 2675 | - |
| 2009 | 3690 | - |
| 2010 | 3848 | - (yet another new attendance record!!) |
"THANK YOU" to the keyholders and other volunteers who helped conduct these events
and who contributed in so many other ways to maintenance and ongoing improvements at the observatory.
None of this would be possible without your support !
An e-mail news and notification service is
available. Visit the "OnanNews Email"
page to request automatic notification via e-mail of observatory news and
events.
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