The Mont Mégantic Observatory (french: Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic; OMM) is an

astronomical Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxi ...

observatory owned and operated jointly by the

Université de Montréal The Université de Montréal (UdeM; ; translates to University of Montreal) is a French-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university's main campus is located in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Côte- ...

(UdeM), and the

Université Laval Université Laval is a public research university in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The university was founded by royal charter issued by Queen Victoria in 1852, with roots in the founding of the Séminaire de Québec in 1663 by François de Montm ...

(ULaval). Founded in 1978, the observatory houses the second largest telescope in

Eastern Canada Eastern Canada (also the Eastern provinces or the East) is generally considered to be the region of Canada south of the Hudson Bay/ Strait and east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces (from east to west): Newfoundland and Labrado ...

after

David Dunlap Observatory The David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) is an astronomical observatory site in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1935, it was owned and operated by the University of Toronto until 2008. It was then acquired by the city of Richmond Hill, ...

near Toronto. It is situated at the summit of Mont Mégantic, the highest point of Eastern Canada accessible by car. OMM is about east of

Sherbrooke Sherbrooke ( ; ) is a city in southern Quebec, Canada. It is at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region. Sherbrooke is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional cou ...

and east of

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...

. The asteroid 4843 Mégantic is named for the observatory.

Telescope

The Ritchey-Chrétien telescope is equipped with a complement of modern instruments. Imaging, spectroscopy, and

polarimetry Polarimetry is the measurement and interpretation of the polarization of transverse waves, most notably electromagnetic waves, such as radio or light waves. Typically polarimetry is done on electromagnetic waves that have traveled through or ...

are routinely conducted at both visible and infrared wavelengths.

Light pollution

Efforts to control local

light pollution Light pollution is the presence of unwanted, inappropriate, or excessive use of artificial Visible spectrum, lighting. In a descriptive sense, the term ''light pollution'' refers to the effects of any poorly implemented lighting, during the day ...

, about one-quarter of which is due to the nearby city of

, have led to the establishment of the world's first International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) Dark Sky preserve around the observatory, covering some 5500 square km (2123 square miles).

ASTROLab

ASTROLab is an astronomy activity centre operate by the Parc national du Mont-Mégantic. There are interactive displays about the history of the Universe, the Earth and life. Visitor can take guided daytime tours of ASTROLab and the Mount Megantic Observatory. There are also astronomy evenings, an astronomy festival, and the Perseid Festival.

Solar eclipse of April 8th 2024

The observatory is near the center path of totality of the

solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 A total solar eclipse will take place at the Moon's ascending node on Monday, April 8, 2024, visible across North America and dubbed the Great North American Eclipse (also Great American Total Solar Eclipse and Great American Eclipse) by some o ...

References

External links