Shaver Lake observatory making strides

The stars show up much more clearly at 6,100-feet where Fresno State̢۪s newest observatory is nestled near Shaver Lake.

The observatory is one of eight Sierra Remote Observatories that are recording stars and heavenly bodies and also detecting the presence of planets light-years away.

The university̢۪s 16-inch telescope can be controlled via Internet connection from campus 47 miles away by Fred Ringwald Ph.D., associate professor in the physics department. But because of time constraints and delicacy of the equipment, only advanced students are able to utilize the telescope.

“Currently we have students using the observatory to pioneer a new technique that would detect planets around other stars,â€Â Ringwald said in a press release.

Fresno State students Jesse Rorabaugh, John Prigge, and Matthew Garrett are using it to discover the timing transits of extra-solar planets (planets outside of our solar system). By noting the periodic dimming of a star and studying its photometry, the student̢۪s can determine when and how often a planet in another system passes in front of its parent star. While more than 150 extra-solar planets have been distinguished, fewer than 10 are known to transit, or move through space detectably.

Ringwald has been using the telescope to study binary star systems in which a white dwarf has a significantly younger normal star companion. He also studies outbursts from an active black hole.

The Sierra Remote Observatories project was founded in 2007 by Dr. Greg Morgan, Dr. Keith Quattrocchi, and Dr. Mel Helm, all members of a local group of scientists called the Central Valley Astronomers. Fresno State̢۪s observatory began operations this year using a 16-inch Meade LX200 telescope and a sensitive digital detector to record images.

“Surprisingly enough they’re very powerful,â€Â Morgan said of the telescopes. “They can see things over three-fourths of the way across the entire known universe.â€Â

Fresno State̢۪s Campus Observatory opened in May 2002 for the convenience and amusement of curious students. The new observatory contributes more to astronomy in that it can pinpoint more distant objects with greater clarity and is positioned to limit outside interference.

Located at 6,100 feet, 50 miles south of Yosemite National Park and 50 north of Kings Canyon National Park, the Fresno State observatory is above the Valley̢۪s hazy thermal inversion layer and below snow-packed roads in the winter.

Also ideal is the frequency of photometric nights when light is better suited for human observation, and the area is especially dark to prevent incidental light from contrasting the image.

A gallery of images taken at Fresno State̢۪s observatory can be seen here.

The Sierra Remote Observatories̢۪ Web site displays numerous photos of quasars and nubulas captured by the stations̢۪ digital detectors and also tracks lunar phases and meteorologic information such as humidity that can also affect the telescope̢۪s clear line of sight.

Recently, amateur astronomer Dave Jurasevich identified a unique bubble nebula in the constellation Cygnus while Mel Helm of Sierra Remote independently observed the object 11 days later. While it is not clear how the nebula forms in a perfect sphere, it is believed to represent the final phase in the life of a sun-like star.

“It’s unusual with all the phenomenal sky survey,â€Â Morgan said, “You think it would be catalogued and photographed by now.â€Â