Mont Mégantic Observatory

Mont Mégantic Observatory

Dome of OMM's 1.6 m telescope
Organization UdeM, ULaval, and McGill
Code 301  
Location Mont Mégantic, Québec
Coordinates 45°27′21″N 71°09′09″W / 45.4558°N 71.1525°WCoordinates: 45°27′21″N 71°09′09″W / 45.4558°N 71.1525°W
Altitude 1,111 metres (3,645 ft)
Established 1978
Website Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic
Telescopes
unnamed telescope 1.6 m reflector

The Mont Mégantic Observatory (French: Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic - OMM) is an astronomical observatory owned and operated jointly by the Université de Montréal (UdeM), the Université Laval (ULaval), and McGill University. Founded in 1978, the observatory houses the second largest telescope in Eastern Canada after David Dunlap Observatory near Toronto.[1] It is situated at the summit of Mont Mégantic, the highest point of Eastern Canada accessible by car. OMM is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) east of Sherbrooke and 190 kilometres (120 mi) east of Montréal.

The asteroid 4843 Mégantic is named for the observatory.


Telescope

The 1.6 meter telescope inside Mont Mégantic Observatory

The 1.6 metres (63 in) Ritchey-Chrétien telescope is equipped with a complement of modern instruments. Imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetry are routinely conducted at both visible and infrared wavelengths.[2]

Light pollution

Efforts to control local light pollution, about one-quarter of which is due to the nearby city of Sherbrooke, have led to the establishment of the world's first International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) Dark Sky preserve around the observatory, covering some 5500 square km (2123 square miles).[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Mont-Mégantic Observatory - Observatories - Astrolab". ASTROLab of Mont-Mégantic National Park. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  2. ↑ "OMM". Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  3. ↑ "First International Dark Sky Reserve Is Announced in Québec!". International Dark-Sky Association. September 21, 2007. Retrieved 2012-01-08.

External links