Calvin-Rehoboth Robotic Observatory

The Calvin-Rehoboth Robotic Observatory is an Observatory developed jointly between Calvin College in Michigan and Rehoboth Christian School in New Mexico. It consists of identical telescopes, one on each campus. Students at both schools use the telescopes as part of their study.[1] The joint observatory has been in operation since 2004.[2]

Since weather in Michigan is often problematic for visual astronomy, the joint observatory allows students at the college to operate the telescope in New Mexico remotely after having trained on the identical telescope locally. It provides access to research quality scientific equipment and training for the high school students.[1]

The observatory was used to discover several minor planets, including 145475 Rehoboth, which was named for the high school,[3] and 134244 De Young, which was named for Mike De Young, a former science teacher there.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 http://www.edyssy.com/display_grant/511804/
  2. ↑ http://www.calvin.edu/academic/phys/observatory/presentations/
  3. ↑ Schmadel, Lutz (2012). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. New York: Springer. p. 1267.
  4. ↑ http://www.rcsnm.org/newsfile8032_1.pdf
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