Co-investigator Tim C Brothers
Project Website http://web.mit.edu/wallace/
The Wallace Astrophysical Observatory is a teaching and research facility run by the planetary astronomy lab in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at MIT. Students in the observing subjects at MIT, "Hands-on Astronomy: Observing Stars and Planets" and "Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy", travel to Wallace to make observations.
There are six telescopes mounted on permanent concrete piers at the site. The two largest telescopes at Wallace, the 24-in and the 16-in Cassegrain reflectors, each have their own domes. Four more telescopes are housed in an observing shed with a roll-off roof.
The George R. Wallace Astrophysical Observatory was dedicated on October 14, 1971. It is named for a member of the MIT Class of 1913 who supported construction of the observatory. Also contributing was the estate of Mary Waterbury in the memory of her husband Charles Waterbury, Class of 1895.
The observatory was originally designed with two telescopes. A 24-in Cassegrain reflector in its own dome adjacent to the main building was intended for cutting edge research in optical astronomy and related sciences. (more 24-in history) A 16-in Cassegrain reflector in its own dome across the driveway was primarily intended for instructional purposes and as a test area for new instrumentation. (more 16-in history) In 1984 the observing shed was added to accomodate larger numbers of students taking observing subjects.
Most of our research is related to predicting and observing stellar occultations by Pluto and Kuiper Belt objects (KBO). Wallace Observatory also monitors extrasolar planet transits, measures asteroid light curves (to determine spin vectors and shapes of main belt asteroids), and to predicts shadow paths for stellar occultations by Pluto and other solar system bodies. Future observing plans may include asteroid rotation lightcurves, occultation candidate stars, follow-up work on near-Earth objects, comets, and Kuiper belt objects. We also have begun developing the ability to track man-made objects such as low-earth orbit satellites (LEOs).