Table Mountain Observatory

Table Mountain Observatory (TMO) is an astronomical observation facility operated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (California Institute of Technology). It is located in Angeles National Forest near Wrightwood, California.^[1] Located 63 kilometers (39 mi) north-northeast of Los Angeles, TMO is part of JPL's Table Mountain Facility (TMF). The larger site hosts a number of non-astronomical projects. The site was first used by the Smithsonian Institution in 1924, which conducted atmospheric, solar, and astronomical observations for many years. JPL took over the lease in 1962.^[2]

TMO conducts high-precision astrometric observations to support NASA and international spacecraft mission navigation, confirmation and recovery of Near-Earth objects such as comets and asteroids that may potentially impact the Earth, and technology development.^[3]

Instruments

Observing with the 0.6m telescope

The 1.02 m (40 in) Pomona College Telescope is a Cassegrain reflector built at Pomona College. It first became operation in 1985, and had new mirrors installed in 1996.^[4]^[5]
A 0.6 m Ritchey-Chrétien reflector built by Astro Mechanics was installed in 1966. It is attached to an off-axis German equatorial mount.^[6]

Former instruments

A 1.25 m (49 in) reflector previously located at Cloudcroft Observatory was acquired in the late 1980s and became operation in the early 1990s.^[7]^[8] It was removed from the TMO web site before June 2003.^[9]
A 0.4 m (16 in) Ritchey-Chrétien reflector built by RC Optical Systems was attached to an equatorial mount. It was installed in 2003 and removed from the TMO web site before July 2011.^[10] It was housed in the dome where the Schmidt camera was previously located.
A 0.4 m (16 in) Cassegrain reflector was installed at TMO in 1962.^[2] Harvey Mudd College was the main user of this telescope from the 1970s through at least 1991.^[8]
A 0.27 m (11 in) Schmidt camera owned by JPL operated at TMO from 1985 until at least 1991.^[8]^[11]
A 5.5 m (18 ft) millimeter wavelength radio antenna was located at TMO from 1970 until at least 1985.^[11]
A radio interferometer with dishes of 4.4 m (14 ft) and 3.0 m (9.8 ft) became operational at TMO in 1974.^[12]

Objects discovered or confirmed

MPC designation	Alternate name	MPC designation	Alternate name	MPC designation	Alternate name
90525	Karijanberg	115485	2003 UR19	116446	2004 AG
116903	2004 GW	128621	2004 RD	129066	2004 VY28
134010	2004 VW28	143052	2002 WY2	145166	2005 JL
147735	2005 NE	147799	2005 RA34	149450	2003 CE14
149976	2005 UO6	150035	Williamson	152212	2005 RG
152471	2005 WE1	158621	2003 BJ	158899	2004 QO
161384	2003 UK25	163626	Glatfelter	163950	2003 UN22
166609	2002 RF232	170025	2002 VO	170026	2002 VV2
170027	2002 VH5	171287	2006 GK3	172460	2003 RT11
172533	2003 UO9	172627	2003 XP10	173075	2006 UC
174758	2003 VX2	177065	2003 FP7	177245	2003 WB
177625	2004 JD	180103	2003 FX6	180213	2003 UM8
180216	2003 UY9	180537	2004 EB1	180731	2004 JW35
181492	2006 UU1	183309	2002 VQ	183501	2003 FU4
184064	2004 GM	185641	2008 EH69	186728	2004 CH2
187304	2005 UV	188588	2005 NP29	188721	2005 UU
189944	2003 TX	190118	2004 VR60	115312	Whither
115477	Brantanica	115891	Scottmichael	120038	Franlainsher
120174	Jeffjenny	128297	Ashlevi	133280	Bryleen
133527	Fredearly	142084	Jamesdaniel	144692	Katemary
147397	Bobhazel	191323	2003 KN	191485	2003 TO2
84882	Table Mountain	114239	Bermarmi	78577	JPL
95939	Thagnesland

References

↑ "Table Mountain Observatory: Home". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
↑ 2.0 2.1 Young, James W.; Harris, Alan W. (Spring 2009). "The Early History of Photometric Observations of Asteroids made at the Table Mountain Observatory". The Society for Astronomical Sciences 28th Annual Symposium on Telescope Science. Held May 19–21 28: 77. Bibcode:2009SASS...28...77Y.
↑ "Table Mountain Observatory: Programs". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
↑ "Projects at TMF". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
↑ "Telescope specs | Pomona College Astronomy Program". Pomona College Astronomy Program. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
↑ "Table Mountain Observatory: Telescopes". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
↑ Young, James W. (2009-12-17). "The Table Mountain Facility - 4: 1986 - 1998". Retrieved 2012-01-22.
↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Klett, K. K. (1992). "California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Table Mountain Observatory, Wrightwood, California 92397. Report for the period Jul 1990 - Jul 1991". Bulletin of the Astronomical Society 24: 119. Bibcode:1992BAAS...24..119K.
↑ "Table Mountain Observatory: Telescopes". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2003-11-28. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
↑ "Table Mountain Observatory: Telescopes". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2012-01-22.
↑ 11.0 11.1 Young, James W. (2009-12-17). "The Table Mountain Facility - 3: 1965 - 1986". Retrieved 2012-01-22.
↑ "Jet Propulsion Laboratory 1973-1974 Annual Report". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2012-01-20.

External links

Table Mountain Facility website
Table Mountain from the Pomona College Astronomy Program
Photographic history of Table Mountain

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Current missions	ACRIMSAT AIRS ASTER Cassini-Huygens Dawn GRACE W. M. Keck Observatory Kepler Mars Odyssey LBT MER MISR MLS MRO MSL Rosetta Spitzer TES Voyager

Past missions	Deep Impact Deep Space 1 Deep Space 2 Explorer GALEX Galileo Genesis Herschel IRAS Jason-1 Magellan Mariner Mars Climate Orbiter Mars Observer Mars Pathfinder Mars Polar Lander MGS NSCAT Phoenix Pioneer QuikSCAT Ranger Seasat SIR SME Stardust SRTM Surveyor SVLBI TOPEX/Poseidon Ulysses Viking WFPC WIRE

Cancelled missions	AFL

Related organizations	NASA Caltech Deep Space Network Goldstone Complex Table Mountain Observatory Solar System Ambassadors

California Institute of Technology

Research	Einstein Papers Project Infrared Processing and Analysis Center Jet Propulsion Laboratory Kerckhoff marine laboratory LIGO MonALISA Palomar Observatory W. M. Keck Observatory Submillimeter Observatory Table Mountain Observatory Thirty Meter Telescope

Student life	House System Great Rose Bowl Hoax Quantum Hoops

Miscellaneous	Athenaeum

NASA facilities

NASA Headquarters

Primary 10 centers

Space/space flight	Goddard Space Flight Center Jet Propulsion Laboratory Johnson Space Center Kennedy Space Center Marshall Space Flight Center Stennis Space Center

Research	Ames Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center Glenn Research Center Langley Research Center

Other facilities