View source for MDM Observatory

{{Short description|Observatory in Pima County,  Arizona}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox observatory|location=[[Kitt Peak]], Arizona, US}}

The '''MDM Observatory''' ('''''Michigan-Dartmouth-MIT Observatory'''''; [[List of observatory codes|obs.&thinsp;code]]: [[IAU code#697|697]]) is an [[optical]] astronomical [[observatory]] located adjacent to [[Kitt Peak National Observatory]] on [[Kitt Peak]], west of [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]], Arizona, in the United States. It is owned and operated by the [[University of Michigan]], [[Dartmouth College]], [[Ohio State University]], [[Columbia University]], and [[Ohio University]]. The [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) was also part of the operating consortium in the past.

It has two [[reflecting telescope]]s, the 2.4-meter (95 inches aperture [[#Hiltner Telescope|Hiltner Telescope]] (since 1986), used for galactic surveys, and the 1.3-meter (50 inch diameter aperture) [[#McGraw–Hill Telescope|McGraw–Hill Telescope]] (since 1975), which was originally located near [[Ann Arbor]], Michigan.<ref name=mgh03/>

== Hiltner Telescope ==

The mirror of the 2.4-meter Hiltner Telescope is aluminum-coated [[Cer-Vit]], and usable foci include f/7.5 and f/13.5 Cassegrain foci.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/obs/mdm/technical/hiltner.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-11-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607005953/http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/obs/mdm/technical/hiltner.html |archivedate=2010-06-07 }}</ref> The telescope was built in 1986 and the mirrors were re-polished in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.site.uottawa.ca:4321/astronomy/HiltnerTelescope.html |title=Hiltner Telescope concept from the Astronomy knowledge base |accessdate=2010-11-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716022654/http://www.site.uottawa.ca:4321/astronomy/HiltnerTelescope.html |archivedate=2011-07-16 }}</ref> It was named after astronomer [[W. Albert Hiltner]] (1914-1991).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bentley.umich.edu/observatory/history/directors/hiltner.php |title=Hall of Directors |accessdate=2010-03-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607154922/http://bentley.umich.edu/observatory/history/directors/hiltner.php |archivedate=2010-06-07 }}</ref>

The Hiltner was one of the telescopes that observed the "turn on" transient of a galactic nucleus, along with the [[Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory|Swift space telescope]] (aka Neil Gehrels ''Swift'' Observatory since 2018) and the [[Gemini Observatory|Gemini observatory]] (8 meter ground observatory).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2018-11-rapid-turn-on-nuclear-transient-astronomers.html|title=Rapid 'turn-on' of a nuclear transient observed by astronomers|website=phys.org|language=en-us|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref> The transient event was called PS1-13cbe and was located in the Galaxy SDSS J222153.87+003054.2.<ref name=":0" />

== McGraw–Hill Telescope ==<!-- "McGraw-Hill Telescope" redirects here -->
[[File:MDM McGraw Hill Telescope.jpg|left|thumb|MDM McGraw-Hill 1.3 m Telescope]]

The 1.3-meter '''McGraw-Hill Telescope''', with a 1.27-meter clear aperture, is an aluminum-coated Cer-Vit (low thermal expansion glass) telescope. Its usable foci include f/7.5 and f/13.5.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/obs/mdm/technical/mcgraw.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2012-03-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312032618/http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/obs/mdm/technical/mcgraw.html |archivedate=2012-03-12 }}</ref> The telescope was originally installed at Stinchfield Woods, Michigan in 1969, and moved in 1975 to MDM.<ref name=mgh03>{{Cite web|url=http://mdm.kpno.noao.edu/13_manual/mgh03.html|title=1.3m Telescope Manual – Telescope Specifications|website=mdm.kpno.noao.edu|access-date=November 24, 2010|archive-date=July 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720014146/http://mdm.kpno.noao.edu/13_manual/mgh03.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Asteroid 4432 McGraw-Hill ===

The asteroid [[4432 McGraw-Hill]] is named after this telescope. It was discovered on March 2, 1981 by [[Schelte J. Bus]] at [[Siding Spring Observatory|Siding Spring]] in the course of the [[UK Schmidt-Caltech Asteroid Survey]]. On February 18, 1992, the [[International Astronomical Union]] officially assigned the name "McGraw-Hill" to the asteroid. The text of the citation, as officially published by IAU Commission 20 ({{small|[[Minor Planet Circulars|M.P.C.]] 19697}}),<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive" /> is as follows:<ref name="MPC-Asteroid" />

{{cquote|Named after the 1.3 m McGraw-Hill telescope located on the southwestern ridge of [[Kitt Peak]], [[Arizona]], which was the site for the first physical observations for this minor planet. The telescope is operated by a consortium comprising the [[University of Michigan]], [[Dartmouth College]], and the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]. Originally erected at [[Stinchfield Woods]] near [[Dexter, Michigan]], in July 1969, the telescope was moved to its current location in 1975 through the generous financial support of [[McGraw-Hill|McGraw-Hill Incorporated]] and the [[Sloan Foundation]]. Name proposed and citation provided by [[Richard P. Binzel]].}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:MDM Hiltner from Point.jpg|View from the Point
Image:MDM View Down the Mountain.jpg|View down Kitt Peak from MDM
Image:MDM View Up the Mountain.jpg|View up Kitt Peak from MDM
Image:MDM Hiltner Dome Opening.jpg|Opening the Dome
Image:MDM Hiltner Instruments 1.jpg|Instruments
Image:MDM Hiltner Instruments 2.jpg|Instruments
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of largest optical telescopes in the 20th century]]
* [[List of observatories]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="MPC-Asteroid">{{cite web
  |title      = 4432 McGraw-Hill (1981 ER22)
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=4432
  |accessdate = 27 May 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-Circulars-Archive">{{cite web
  |title      = MPC/MPO/MPS Archive
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html
  |accessdate = 27 May 2018}}</ref>

}} <!-- end of reflist -->

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180322180848/http://mdm.kpno.noao.edu/index/MDM_Observatory.html MDM Observatory]
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sll=31.888927,-111.914978&sspn=0.144295,0.203934&hl=en&q=ajo+&ll=31.951684,-111.616636&spn=0.002253,0.003186&t=k Aerial view of observatory]
* [http://cleardarksky.com/c/KittAZkey.html?1 Kitt Peak Clear Sky Clock] Forecasts of observing conditions.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mdm Observatory}}
[[Category:Astronomical observatories in Arizona]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Pima County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Dartmouth College facilities]]
[[Category:Kitt Peak National Observatory]]