Mount John University Observatory

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Mount John University Observatory

The Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) telescope dome at the top of Mount John

Organization

University of Canterbury

Location

Mount John, South Island, New Zealand

Coordinates

43°59.2′S, 170°27.9′E;

Altitude

1,031m (3,382 feet)

Weather

20% of nights photometric

Website
Mt John University Observatory

Telescopes
MOA Telescope	1.8-metre
McLellan	1-metre
Optical Craftsmen	0.6-metre Cassegrain
Boller & Chivens	0.6-metre

Mount John University Observatory (MJUO), New Zealand's premier astronomical observatory, is situated at 1,031 meters (3,382') ASL atop Mount John at the northern end of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island of New Zealand. There are four telescopes on site: two 0.6m, one 1.0m, and a new 1.8m 'MOA Telescope' (see below) The nearest population center is the resort town Lake Tekapo (pop. <500). Approximately 20% of nights at MJUO are photometric, with a larger number available for spectroscopic work and direct imaging photometry.

MJUO is operated by the University of Canterbury, and is the home of HERCULES (High Efficiency and Resolution Canterbury University Large Echelle Spectrograph), and the observational wing of the Japanese/New Zealand MOA collaboration (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) led by Professor Yusashi Muraki of Nagoya University. A Japanese funded, 1.8 meter telescope is now in place and will be used initially by the MOA Project, before handover to the University of Canterbury at the conclusion of the MOA Project in 2010.

[edit] Sighted the smallest extra solar planet yet

In June 2008 it was reported at the meeting of American Astronomical Society that using their new MOA-II telescope, the observatory discovered what is at the time the smallest planet known outside of our solar system. The planet MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb is just 3.3 times larger than Earth and is orbiting a small star, MOA-2007-BLG-192L (3000 light years from Earth). There is some possibility the planet has a thick atmosphere and a liquid ocean on its surface.^[1]

[edit] References

^ Rincon, Paul (Monday, 2 June 2008 17:47 UK). Tiniest extrasolar planet found (web). Astronomers have sighted the smallest extrasolar planet yet orbiting a normal star - a distant world just three times the size of our own.. BBC News. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.