Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory or SAO is a large astronomical research facility of the Smithsonian Institution in Cambridge on the east coast of the USA . Together with the Harvard College Observatory (HCO) it forms the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics , where over 300 scientists and numerous technicians work in the fields of astronomy , astrophysics , earth sciences and space travel .
history
The SAO was founded in Washington, DC in 1890 , but relocated to Massachusetts in the technically leading northeastern United States in 1955 .
In the field of space travel, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory created the conditions for successful observations long before the launch of the first earth satellites . a. through the development of the very bright Baker-Nunn camera and through the establishment of the global Moonwatch network .
Among the approximately 300 monographs on astrophysics, space travel and satellite geodesy , the Smithsonian Standard Earth , developed in the 1960s, stands out. It includes u. a. the first comprehensive analysis of the earth's gravity field (including its series development in spherical surface functions up to degree 90) and was published in several volumes from around 1965. All SAO publication series are in the A4 format - which is rather unusual for the USA - and in a characteristic, yellow-orange color.
Also in the 1960s, the SAO catalog , a star catalog with 260,000 stars , was created from the best data sources of the time. Currently u. a. operated the Chandra X-ray Observatory from Cambridge.
See also
Web links
- Homepage of the SAO (English)
Direct links to ground-based observatories (selection):
- Magellan (English) - optical star observation (or astronomy )
- SMA: Submillimeter Array (English) - radio astronomy in the submillimeter range
- VERITAS (English) - high energy radio astronomy
Coordinates: 42 ° 22 '53.3 " N , 71 ° 7' 42.1" W.