Farpoint Observatory is an

astronomical Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest include ...

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Th ...

owned and operated by the ''Northeast Kansas Amateur Astronomers' League'', or NEKAAL. It is located on the grounds of Mission Valley High School at Eskridge, near

Auburn, Kansas Auburn is a city in Shawnee County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,273. History 19th century In July 1854, John W. Brown came to this area and found it highly suitable for a homestead. He acq ...

, approximately southwest of

Topeka Topeka ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeaste ...

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, United States.

Summary

Farpoint Observatory is

International Astronomical Union The International Astronomical Union (IAU; , UAI) is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach, education, and developmen ...

(IAU) observatory code 734, and is home to the Farpoint Asteroid Search Team (FAST), which has an international reputation having discovered more than 330 non-NEO (Near Earth Orbit)

asteroids An asteroid is a minor planet—an object larger than a meteoroid that is neither a planet nor an identified comet—that orbits within the Solar System#Inner Solar System, inner Solar System or is co-orbital with Jupiter (Trojan asteroids). As ...

in addition to many in NEO orbits. As of January 1, 2014, Farpoint observers had contributed more than minor planet observations to the

IAU The International Astronomical Union (IAU; , UAI) is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach, education, and developmen ...

Minor Planet Center The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Funct ...

. NEKAAL received a $56,060 grant from

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

Near Earth Object A near-Earth object (NEO) is any small Solar System body orbiting the Sun whose closest approach to the Sun (Apsis, perihelion) is less than 1.3 times the Earth–Sun distance (astronomical unit, AU). This definition applies to the object's orb ...

s (NEO) tracking program to acquire and install at Farpoint the Pitt telescope from Lindley Hall,

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...

. After full refurbishment, the

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption, or Reflection (physics), reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally, it was an optical instrument using len ...

now measures 27 inches in aperture (primary mirror diameter), 9 feet 3 inches in length, with weight of 1,600 pounds (725 kg). The main-belt asteroid 23989 Farpoint, discovered by amateur astronomers Gary Hug and Graham E. Bell at Farpoint in 1999, was named for the observatory.

List of discovered minor planets

References

External links

NEKAAL Site:Farpoint Observatory

Farpoint Observatory
enclosure (image)
NEKAAL observer
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Summary

List of discovered minor planets

See also

References

External links