SUNY Oneonta College Observatory's 40-inch Newtonian reflector, the largest optical telescope in New York.

The images below were taken at SUNY Oneonta College Observatory:



The Orion Nebula (M42), a nearby region where massive stars are being born. The gas is ionized by a group of bright, massive stars located inside the cloud.



Surface of the moon, where past lava flows, mountain ranges and impact craters are evident.



The planet Jupiter. At the time this photo was taken, Jupiter was at its nearest opposition in the past several decades.



The Dumbbell Nebula (M27). These are the outer layers shed by a star similar to the Sun at the end of its life, which has now collapsed to become a white dwarf.



The crab nebula, a supernova remnant. This is the remnant of a star that exploded in 1054 AD. At its center lies a pulsar, a spinning neutron star which emits pulses of radiation with a spin rate of ~30 times per second.

Introduction

The astronomy program at SUNY Oneonta is centered around a two-year program for students to minor in astronomy (see below), as well as observational and theoretical research opportunities for advanced undergraduates in physics and astronomy. Physics majors may also opt for a concentration in astronomy as part of a Physics Standard Option (A) Major. Students in the astronomy program benefit from outstanding resources, including a state-of-the-art planetarium and observatory which is home to several telescopes including the largest optical telescope in New York state. In addition, we host regular public observing nights at the observatory and planetarium shows which are open to the general public.

Astronomy Minor

On some level astronomy fascinates nearly everyone. Are you curious about the planets and stars? Does the possibility of extraterrestrial life intrigue you? Do you wonder how the Universe originated, how it is structured today, and how its future may be estimated? Are you pondering your choice of a major or a career? Perhaps you already have narrowed your choices down. Are you interested in a career in teaching or in scientific research? Perhaps another career related to the sciences? Then you should carefully consider the astronomy and astrophysics possibilities available through the State University College at Oneonta.

For students strongly drawn to astronomy, physics, and mathematics the campus offers an unofficial “Track in Astronomy” under the Physics Standard Option (A) Major. Although your degree will read “Physics”, you will have taken an appropriate combination of astronomy, physics, and math to prepare you for graduate study in astronomy elsewhere and a possible ultimate career in astronomy. Students interested in this sequence of coursework MUST consult with the instructor as quickly as possible. (Note that the “Track” only is practical with the Physics (A) Major and not with other majors.)

Observatory

The SUNY Oneonta College Observatory is located at College Camp on the northeastern side of campus in Oneonta, New York. The Observatory has several large computer-controlled telescopes and numerous other smaller portable telescopes.  Currently the observatory is used in the introductory astronomy series taught by the Department of Physics & Astronomy--in particular, Astronomy 270 (the Solar System) and Astronomy 271 (Stars and Galaxies). The facilities are also available for independent research projects by upper-level astronomy students. We also host observing nights that are open to the public, where people can view astronomical objects such as planets, star clusters, planetary nebulae and galaxies through the eyepieces.

16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain

14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain

The Observatory is home to the largest optical telescope in the state of New York, a computer-controlled f/4 Newtonian reflector with a 1-meter (40-inch) primary mirror. The telescope, designated the NTT-40, was constructed by JMI Telescopes of Lakewood, Colorado; technical information can be found at the JMI NTT-40 webpage. In addition we have two observatory domes housing 16-inch and 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, several smaller Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, and seven sheds housing 4-inch refractor telescopes. The observatory is equipped with a variety of eyepieces, several electronic CCD cameras, an adaptive optics unit and a spectrograph. In addition to monochrome and single-shot color SBIG CCD cameras, there is a research-grade SBIG CCD camera equipped with a photometric filter wheel using the standard UVBRI photometric system.

Here is the Wikipedia page for SUNY Oneonta College Observatory.

 Public Access and Outreach

• Public Observing Nights at SUNY Oneonta College Observatory

We host public observing nights, which are open to the general public, approximately every two weeks during the fall and winter semesters of the academic year. Please see the calendar for the schedule of public observing nights. On these nights, our 40-inch telescope, 16-inch and 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes are opened for viewing, as well as a pair of giant binoculars for wide-angle viewing. As a new addition we will also be featuring the Mallincam, a camera which takes live color images with far greater sensitivity than the human eye, and projecting the images onto a large screen. Often, some of our astronomy students will bring their telescopes as well, turning the event into a full-blown star party.

Please bear in mind that due to the frequent cloudy or inclement weather in upstate New York, many observing nights will inevitably be cancelled. If you need any other information, please contact Dr. Jason Smolinski (Jason.Smolinski -at- oneonta.edu)

Calendar for Public Observing Nights

• Tours of the SUNY Oneonta Observatory are offered for small groups of interested people such as scout troups, community groups, etc. We also offer a limited number of observing nights and/or planetarium shows for specific classrooms. Please contact Sheila Birkett (Sheila.Birkett -at- oneonta.edu) for details.

 

Planetarium

Our planetarium is located in the Science 1 building of the SUNY Oneonta campus, and features a state-of-the-art digital Evans & Sutherland projection system. The planetarium is used during lectures and lab activities as part of the introductory astronomy series taught by the Department of Physics & Astronomy--in particular, Astronomy 270 (the Solar System) and Astronomy 271 (Stars and Galaxies). We also host planetarium shows for visiting groups by request. These typically run for about an hour and start with an introduction to the night sky: constellations, motions of the planets and stars, and particular objects of interest such as galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. The show then typically concludes with a movie about a particular topic in astronomy, which changes from week to week. The seating in the planetarium accommodates 28 people at a time. For information on booking a planetarium show, please contact Sheila Birkett (Sheila.Birkett -at- oneonta.edu).

Calendar for Public Planetarium Shows

 

College Camp Driving Directions

• The SUNY Oneonta College Observatory is located at College Camp which is a few miles northeast of campus. For a map and directions to College Camp and the SUNY Oneonta campus, click on the link below.
• College Camp web page
• Map and Driving Directions to College Camp
• SUNY Oneonta Campus Map & Driving Directions

Astrophotography at Oneonta Observatory

The Whirlpool Galaxy M51, a spiral galaxy located roughly 23 million light-years away. This galaxy is about 1/3 the size of the Milky Way galaxy and is interacting with a neighboring galaxy, see to the left in this image. This image has been enhanced to show detail, hence the green appearance.	The Pleiades star cluster M45, a young open cluster in the constellation of Taurus. This cluster is easily visible with the unaided eye in the autumn and winter months and is thought to be only 100 million years old - young by astronomical standards!
M31, also called the Andromeda Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy and the largest galaxy in the Local Group - a group of galaxies bound together by gravity of which our Milky Way is also a member. A recent survey estimates that M31 contains about one trillion stars.	NGC 7622, also known as the Blue Snowball Nebula, is a planetary nebula. These form when a low-mass star reaches the end of its red giant phase and gently blows off its outer portions into space, leaving behind a white dwarf at the center.
The Double Cluster, a common name for the two open clusters h and χ Persei, are visible to the unaided eye in the constellation of Perseus. In addition to being close in the sky, they are also close in space, being located at distances of 6800 and 7600 light-years, respectively.	Click here for more images