THE BROOKS ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY
The Brooks Astronomical Observatory is operated by the Physics Department of
Central Michigan University. It is located in the community of
The observatory originally housed a 20-inch (50-cm) Newtonian/Cassegrain reflector manufactured by StarLiner. This instrument was used for public viewing and visual variable star work, but it did not function satisfactorily and was removed in 1975 and eventually sold. The 20-inch was replaced in 1977 by a 14-inch (35-cm) Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope by Celestron. The Celestron-14 was replaced in 1996 with a 16-inch (40-cm) computer-controlled classical Cassegrain reflector manufactured by DFM Engineering. The present telescope is equipped for CCD direct imaging, medium-dispersion spectroscopy, 35-mm and plate photography, and UBVRI photometry as well as for visual observing.
The observatory facilities contain two sections: a research and reference area and the observing area. The research area contains a SUN Ultrasparc workstation, several pc computers, a darkroom, an old two-screw plate measuring engine, and a library of about 1000 volumes of observatory publications, catalogues, charts, and atlases. The observing area includes a 5-meter diameter dome that houses the DFM telescope, a warmroom containing the instrument control computers, and a small office and storage area. Adjacent to the main dome is an outdoor observing platform for naked-eye or small telescope viewing. One corner of the platform has a small dome enclosing a permanently mounted 8-inch (20-cm) Schmidt-Cassegrain; this instrument has an H-alpha filter for solar observations.
Brooks Observatory is mainly used for visual observations by University
astronomy students and the general public. Monthly public
open nights were established in 1976. The Brooks Observatory has been used
for photoelectric and visual timings of lunar and asteroidal occultations;
photometric measures of variable stars, cluster stars, and spectroscopic
binaries; and astrometry of minor planets and comets. Staff members also carry
out research on the physics of accretion disks.. Observational projects using
data obtained elsewhere have involved globular cluster variable stars, comet
photometry, objective-prism radial velocities, Hubble Space Telescope
astrometry, and solar eclipse studies. The observatory sent expeditions to
observe total and annular solar eclipses to North Carolina (USA) in 1970, to
Astronomers that have been on the Central Michigan
University faculty and associated with the observatory include Walter Bisard
(1965-2002 ), John Hackos (1970-74), Wayne Osborn
(1976- ), Gary Wilcox (1980-81), Dennis
Machnik (1984-88), Dennis Dawson (1987-88), Glen Williams (1988- ) and
Jason Quinn(2006- ). Twelve
Latest revision: 2006-October 7