The observatory is located on public property, and was mostly closed from March to June due to COVID-19. Ironically, our $8,000 grant was to help GAMP adapt its 0.6-meter telescope for remote operations!
Despite the closure, the group was still able to make some observations, including contributing to the discovery of binary asteroid (7132) Casulli. Inspections and final cost estimates for the observatory work is complete, and if all goes well GAMP will be remote around the end of the year or in early 2021.
Russell Durkee
Shed of Science Observatory, United States
Russ is a high school teacher in Minnesota who recently moved his observatory to a dark sky site in Texas. He does work on light curves—measurements of an asteroid’s brightness over time. He also uses his observatory to mentor young astronomers.
Russ and his observatory were grant winners in 2010, and in this round we awarded him $12,799 to replace the aging camera he previously purchased with Shoemaker funding. He drove the new camera to Texas in July, binge-listening old episodes of Planetary Radio on the way. We highly approve of this road-trip soundtrack!
The new camera cools itself 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) below ambient temperatures, which allows it to capture clearer images. Unfortunately, the camera iced some of its optics in the process, so Russ had to send it back to the manufacturer. He did get a few tantalizing glimpses of its capabilities and is looking forward to getting it back in August.
from The Planetary Society Articles https://ift.tt/2Q84vsH
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