Farpoint Observatory is an astronomical

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

owned and operated by the ''Northeast Kansas Amateur Astronomers' League'', or

NEKAAL NEKAAL is the Northeast Kansas Amateur Astronomers' League, a non-profit educational and scientific organization founded 1978 and based in Topeka, Kansas. NEKAAL and its members specialize in educational outreach to surrounding counties, and in disc ...

. It is located on the grounds of

Mission Valley High School Mission Valley High School is a public secondary school located 6 miles northeast of Eskridge, Kansas, United States. It is operated by Mission Valley USD 330 public school district, and serves students of grades 9 to 12. History In 2008, it ...

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 acqui ...

, approximately southwest of

Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Un ...

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

, United States.

Summary

Farpoint Observatory is

International Astronomical Union The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreac ...

(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 of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere. ...

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; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach ...

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. Function ...

. NEKAAL received a $56,060 grant from

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

Near Earth Object A near-Earth object (NEO) is any small Solar System body whose orbit brings it into proximity with Earth. By convention, a Solar System body is a NEO if its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) is less than 1.3 astronomical units (AU). ...

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, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...

. After full refurbishment, the

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally meaning only an optical instrument using lenses, curved mirrors, or a combination of both to observe ...

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