Magdalena Ridge Observatory

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Magdalena Ridge Observatory
Image:LogoMRO180160px.jpg
Organization Office of Naval Research (ONR)
Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
Location Socorro County, New Mexico
Coordinates 33°58′36″N, 107°11′05″W
Altitude 10,600 feet (3180 meters)
Webpage www.mro.nmt.edu
Telescopes
Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer Array of ten 1.4-meter optical telescopes on a 400-meter baseline
2.4-Meter Telescope Single 2.4-meter optical telescope, specializing in Near-Earth Objects (NEO) and rapid tracking applications

Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO) is an astronomical observatory in Socorro County, New Mexico about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of the town of Socorro on U.S. 60. The observatory is located near the summit of the Magdalena Mountains at an elevation of 10,600 feet (3180 meters) making it the fourth highest observatory in the world.[1] When completed in 2009, the site will house two main facilities, the Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer and a single 2.4-meter telescope. The interferometer will consist of an array of ten 1.4-meter telescopes whose images will be optically combined resulting in angular resolution that simulates that of a telescope 400 meters in diameter.[1] The 2.4-meter telescope will be capable of slew rates of 10 degrees per second allowing it to be used to observe objects in low-Earth orbit. The telescope will also be used for asteroid studies and observations of other solar system objects.[2] Construction on the 2.4-meter telescope is nearing completion and first light was achieved on October 31, 2006. The 2.4m facility will undergo completion work and commissioning for most of 2007. Completion of the interferometer is not expected until 2009-2010.[1] Magdalena Ridge Observatory is an international scientific collaboration of several universities including the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro and the University of Cambridge.[1]

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[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d About MRO. Magdalena Ridge Observatory. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
  2. ^ 2.4m Telescope. Magdalena Ridge Observatory. Retrieved on 2006-08-28.

[edit] External links