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The Palmer Divide Observatory
IAU Observatory Code 716
Funding for observations and research at the Palmer Divide
Observatory is provided by
NASA grant NNX10AL35G and by National Science Foundation grant AST-1032896
I apologize in advance, but there are no public/private tours/visits available at PDO due to
insurance and security considerations.
PDO is set up for imaging-only research and so there are no facilities for visual observing.
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The Palmer Divide Observatory is named after
the geological feature on which the observatory is located. The "Divide" is an
east-west ridge that juts out from the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains between Colorado
Springs and Denver, CO. The elevation is about 7600 ft. in the subdivision located
approximately 9 miles east of Monument, CO, and 25 miles north of Colorado Springs, CO. Most
work is dedicated to the determination of asteroid lightcurves with some variable stars
and astrometry mixed in from time-to-time. Special concentration is given to the Hungaria
group of asteroids as well as Mars-crossers since these have a higher potential for being
binary. So far, work at PDO has lead to the initial discovery of more than a dozen binary
asteroids and provided confirming observations for several others.
The aerial photo at left was taken before the second building, housing the three 0.35m
SCT telescopes, was built. It was also well before a housing "boom". There are
now about 50 "McMansions" located in the open area on the left side and at the
top of the photo. One even has a two-level garage that holds seven vehicles! |
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Instrumentation
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Software
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0.5m f/8.1 Ritchey-Chretien
Telescope: Jerry Foote, ScopeCraft, Inc.
Camera: FLI IMG w/Kodak 1001E (1024x1024, 24 um)
Filter Wheel: FLI CFW-1 (Serial)
Filters: AstroDon (formerly Schuler), BVRC
Focuser: RoboFocus |
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Telescope/Camera Control: MPO Connections
Astrometry/Photometry: MPO CanopusAffiliations
American Astronomical Society/DPS - Full Member
Society for Astronomical Science - Program
Committee |
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0.35m f/9.1 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Telescope: Meade LX-200GPS (rated f/10)
Camera: FLI IMG w/Kodak 1001E (1024x1024, 24 um)
Filter Wheel: FLI CFW-2 (USB)
Filters: AstroDon (formerly Schuler), BVRC
Focuser: RoboFocus |
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Asteroid Discoveries
34366 Rosavestal
34398 Terryschmidt
70030 Margaretmiller |
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0.35m f/9.1
Schmidt-Cassegrain
Telescope: Meade LX-200GPS
Camera: SBIG STL-1001E (1024x1024, 24 um)
Filter Wheel: Internal to SBIG
Filters: AstroDon (formerly Schuler), BVRC
Focuser: RoboFocus |
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Binary Asteroid Discoveries
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1459 Fennia
1509 Esclangona
2131 Mayall
2577 Litva
3309 Brorefeld
5477 1989 UH2
5899 Jedicke |
5905 Johnson
9069 Hovland
15822 1994 TV15
26471 2000 AS152
34706 2001 OP83
76818 2000 RG79 |
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0.35m f/5 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Telescope: Meade LX-200GPS, Optec NextGen f/5 reducer
Camera: Camera: SBIG STL-1001E (1024x1024, 24 um)
Filter Wheel: Internal to SBIG
Filters: AstroDon (formerly Schuler), VRC
Focuser: RoboFocus |
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Contact Info
Brian D. Warner – Director/Owner
Palmer Divide Observatory
17995 Bakers Farm Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80908
Ph: (719) 481-0557 (no software tech calls, please!) |
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