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49-549: PMO supports a wide variety of programs with an emphasis on projects that allow undergraduate students to be involved with many aspects of facility operations. PMO also has robust programs centered on K-12 education and public outreach. The site was discovered and characterized by professors Russ Donnelly and E.G. Ebbinghausen in 1965 when they determined that the sky conditions were excellent and worthy of an observatory being built on Pine Mountain. The first telescope became operational in 1967. Former programs gave high-school students

98-641: A NASA probe, itself in orbit around the Sun , was saturated by the blast of radiation. It soon hit Venus, where the Pioneer Venus Orbiter 's detectors were overcome by the wave. Shortly thereafter the gamma rays inundated the detectors of three U.S. Department of Defense Vela satellites , the Soviet Prognoz 7 satellite , and the Einstein Observatory , all orbiting Earth. Before exiting the solar system

147-641: A 3-D model. Pine Mountain Observatory occasionally invites students from the Society of Physics Students (SPS) at the University of Oregon to come stay in the Pine Mountain dorms and observe late into the night. Pine Mountain Observatory works in partnership each summer with Girl Scouts , as well. This partnership is meant to allow high school aged students the opportunity to talk with current students researching at

196-446: A few months after the successful dropping of landers into the atmosphere of Venus , the two uncrewed Soviet spaceprobes Venera 11 and 12 , then in heliocentric orbit , were hit by a blast of gamma radiation at approximately 10:51 EST. This contact raised the radiation readings on both the probes from a normal 100 counts per second to over 200,000 counts a second in only a fraction of a millisecond. Eleven seconds later, Helios 2 ,

245-501: A hundred million times stronger than any man-made magnet, and about a trillion times more powerful than the field surrounding Earth . Earth has a geomagnetic field of 30–60 microteslas, and a neodymium-based, rare-earth magnet has a field of about 1.25 tesla, with a magnetic energy density of 4.0 × 10 J/m . A magnetar's 10 tesla field, by contrast, has an energy density of 4.0 × 10  J/m , with an E / c mass density more than 10,000 times that of lead . The magnetic field of

294-470: A magnetar close to supernova remnant Kesteven 79 . Astronomers from Europe and China discovered this magnetar, named 3XMM J185246.6+003317, in 2013 by looking at images that had been taken in 2008 and 2009. In 2013, a magnetar PSR J1745−2900 was discovered, which orbits the black hole in the Sagittarius A* system. This object provides a valuable tool for studying the ionized interstellar medium toward

343-712: A magnetar is short compared to other celestial bodies. Their strong magnetic fields decay after about 10,000 years, after which activity and strong X-ray emission cease. Given the number of magnetars observable today, one estimate puts the number of inactive magnetars in the Milky Way at 30 million or more. Starquakes triggered on the surface of the magnetar disturb the magnetic field which encompasses it, often leading to extremely powerful gamma-ray flare emissions which have been recorded on Earth in 1979, 1998 and 2004. Magnetars are characterized by their extremely powerful magnetic fields of ~10 to 10 T . These magnetic fields are

392-567: A magnetar would be lethal even at a distance of 1,000 km due to the strong magnetic field distorting the electron clouds of the subject's constituent atoms, rendering the chemistry of sustaining life impossible. At a distance of halfway from Earth to the moon, an average distance between the Earth and the Moon being 384,400 km (238,900 miles), a magnetar could wipe information from the magnetic stripes of all credit cards on Earth. As of 2020 , they are

441-421: A magnetar. This suggests that magnetars are not merely a rare type of pulsar but may be a (possibly reversible) phase in the lives of some pulsars. On September 24, 2008, ESO announced what it ascertained was the first optically active magnetar-candidate yet discovered, using ESO's Very Large Telescope . The newly discovered object was designated SWIFT J195509+261406. On September 1, 2014, ESA released news of

490-671: A mass of about 1.4 solar masses. They are formed by the collapse of a star with a mass 10–25 times that of the Sun . The density of the interior of a magnetar is such that a tablespoon of its substance would have a mass of over 100 million tons. Magnetars are differentiated from other neutron stars by having even stronger magnetic fields, and by rotating more slowly in comparison. Most observed magnetars rotate once every two to ten seconds, whereas typical neutron stars, observed as radio pulsars , rotate one to ten times per second. A magnetar's magnetic field gives rise to very strong and characteristic bursts of X-rays and gamma rays. The active life of

539-450: A newly formed neutron star falls into the right ranges, a dynamo mechanism could act, converting heat and rotational energy into magnetic energy and increasing the magnetic field, normally an already enormous 10 teslas , to more than 10 teslas (or 10 gauss ). The result is a magnetar . It is estimated that about one in ten supernova explosions results in a magnetar rather than a more standard neutron star or pulsar. On March 5, 1979,

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588-430: A numeric code to assess the quality of a period solution for minor planet light curves (it does not necessarily assess the actual underlying data). Its quality code parameter U ranges from 0 (incorrect) to 3 (well-defined): A trailing plus sign (+) or minus sign (−) is also used to indicate a slightly better or worse quality than the unsigned value. The occultation light curve is often characterised as binary, where

637-500: Is given in the McGill SGR/AXP Online Catalog. Examples of known magnetars include: Unusually bright supernovae are thought to result from the death of very large stars as pair-instability supernovae (or pulsational pair-instability supernovae). However, recent research by astronomers has postulated that energy released from newly formed magnetars into the surrounding supernova remnants may be responsible for some of

686-514: Is home to the Control Room for the Planewave 14" telescope. The dome is also used as a meeting place for visiting groups as well as a venue for lectures and classes given by PMO staff. The Robbins and the 0.6 m (24 in) are both being used for research. The Asteroid Light-Curve research project is currently underway. In this project, students are tasked with observing asteroids throughout

735-426: Is known as the astronomical transit method. Light curve inversion is a mathematical technique used to model the surfaces of rotating objects from their brightness variations. This can be used to effectively image starspots or asteroid surface albedos . Microlensing is a process where relatively small and low-mass astronomical objects cause a brief small increase in the brightness of a more distant object. This

784-452: Is not often used for public outreach, rather, it is mainly operated by students conducting undergraduate research. This is to prepare them for research as graduate students in physics or astronomy and future technical careers. Even though this 14" telescope is smaller than the others at PMO, it is one of the most powerful instruments at the observatory due to its start-of-the-art optics, electronics, and camera system. PMO scientists routinely use

833-401: Is open to the public every weekend from Memorial Day till the last weekend of September. Pine Mountain Observatory is currently partnered with Kobe University . Together, the two are working to observe and identify asteroids. To do this, the two are observing the same asteroids concatenated, then creating light-curves based on the data from the telescopes. This data is then modified to create

882-408: Is that they simply result from the collapse of stars with unusually strong magnetic fields. In a supernova , a star collapses to a neutron star, and its magnetic field increases dramatically in strength through conservation of magnetic flux . Halving a linear dimension increases the magnetic field strength fourfold. Duncan and Thompson calculated that when the spin, temperature and magnetic field of

931-546: The Galactic Center . In 2018, the temporary result of the merger of two neutron stars was determined to be a hypermassive magnetar, which shortly collapsed into a black hole. In April 2020, a possible link between fast radio bursts (FRBs) and magnetars was suggested, based on observations of SGR 1935+2154 , a likely magnetar located in the Milky Way galaxy. As of July 2021 , 24 magnetars are known, with six more candidates awaiting confirmation. A full listing

980-459: The VizieR service. Periodic dips in a star's light curve graph could be due to an exoplanet passing in front of the star that it is orbiting. When an exoplanet passes in front of its star, light from that star is temporarily blocked, resulting in a dip in the star's light curve. These dips are periodic, as planets periodically orbit a star. Many exoplanets have been discovered via this method, which

1029-581: The Boller & Chivens 24" was active in cutting-edge astronomy research. In fact, in 1970 this telescope made the very first observation of a class of star that would come to be known as magnetars . Since its heyday in the 70's and 80's the Boller & Chivens continues to be one of the most important telescopes at PMO. Currently it is being used for undergraduate research projects, technology development, and for public outreach events. The Sigma 32" telescope and its massive dome came to PMO as part of an expansion of

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1078-646: The Robbins to observe a myriad of astronomical targets, from nearby asteroids and comets to clusters of galaxies. The Fecker 15” Cassegrain telescope is often referred to as the “Matriarch of the Mountain” because of its long, rich history and importance in the development of PMO. In 1950 the telescope was purchased by the University of Oregon and placed atop the science building in Eugene until 1961. At that time Dr. E.G. Ebenhausen of

1127-520: The Universe. Unfortunately, around the year 2000 the Sigma suffered a catastrophic failure of its primary motor drive. Due to the unique nature of the telescope design (among only 5 ever built) it has not been possible to repair or replace the custom parts required to bring it back into operation. For now, the Sigma rests in its dome, waiting for the opportunity to once again scan the skies. These days this dome

1176-408: The apparent angular size of the object is smaller than one pixel in the detector. Thus, astronomers measure the amount of light produced by an object as a function of time (the light curve). The time separation of peaks in the light curve gives an estimate of the rotational period of the object. The difference between the maximum and minimum brightnesses (the amplitude of the light curve) can be due to

1225-414: The brightest supernovae, such as SN 2005ap and SN 2008es. Light curve In astronomy , a light curve is a graph of the light intensity of a celestial object or region as a function of time, typically with the magnitude of light received on the y -axis and with time on the x -axis. The light is usually in a particular frequency interval or band . Light curves can be periodic, as in

1274-440: The case of eclipsing binaries , Cepheid variables , other periodic variables, and transiting extrasolar planets ; or aperiodic , like the light curve of a nova , cataclysmic variable star , supernova , microlensing event , or binary as observed during occultation events. The study of the light curve, together with other observations, can yield considerable information about the physical process that produces it or constrain

1323-406: The emission of high- energy electromagnetic radiation , particularly X-rays and gamma rays . The existence of magnetars was proposed in 1992 by Robert Duncan and Christopher Thompson . Their proposal sought to explain the properties of transient sources of gamma rays, now known as soft gamma repeaters (SGRs). Over the following decade, the magnetar hypothesis became widely accepted, and

1372-456: The eyepiece and records it as data in a computer. One advantage of having a completely computer controlled telescope is that it can be operated from remote locations - like the University of Oregon campus in Eugene. This telescope, named 'the Robbins' after contributor Kenneth C. Robins, will soon be operated from locations far from PMO by students and researchers from UO and other educational institutions. Because of its special nature this telescope

1421-486: The facility in the late 1970s. Installed in 1978, this telescope has been one of the largest telescopes in the Pacific Northwest for many years! The Sigma was a research active telescope through the mid-1990s. During this time period it was used by astronomers from UO as well as other universities as a general purpose telescope where it observed many kinds of celestial objects, from nearby comets to galaxies strewn across

1470-477: The light from the star is terminated instantaneously, remains constant for the duration, and is reinstated instantaneously. The duration is equivalent to the length of a chord across the occulting body. Circumstances where the transitions are not instantaneous are; The observations are typically recorded using video equipment and the disappearance and reappearance timed using a GPS disciplined Video Time Inserter (VTI). Occultation light curves are archived at

1519-463: The most powerful magnetic objects detected throughout the universe. As described in the February 2003 Scientific American cover story, remarkable things happen within a magnetic field of magnetar strength. " X-ray photons readily split in two or merge. The vacuum itself is polarized , becoming strongly birefringent , like a calcite crystal. Atoms are deformed into long cylinders thinner than

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1568-413: The neutron star settles into its equilibrium configuration. These fields then persist due to persistent currents in a proton-superconductor phase of matter that exists at an intermediate depth within the neutron star (where neutrons predominate by mass). A similar magnetohydrodynamic dynamo process produces even more intense transient fields during coalescence of pairs of neutron stars. An alternative model

1617-510: The newest on the Mountain. Construction on the site started in 2015 and the entire system was commissioned over the next two summer seasons, and in Fall 2018 the Planewave started observations. Unlike the other telescopes at PMO, the Planewave 14” has never been used for naked-eye observing by humans. Instead, it uses a very sophisticated camera system to capture the light that you would normally see through

1666-603: The night. Once this is done, the students take the data and create light-curves . Using the newly create light-curves, the data is further analyzed until a 3-D shape of the asteroid can be generated. Pine Mountain Observatory Pipeline (PMOP): A Python script that takes data from the Robins telescope stored as FITS files and reduces and organizes the images. Coming soon: The Solar Telescope Project. This new telescope will be operating within 2021. Pine Mountain Observatory

1715-582: The observatory, while also allowing the Girl Scouts the opportunity to observe through the telescopes themselves. This program has the scouts camp at the Deschutes National Forest , the campground is located only a few feet away from the Observatory itself. Professional schools: Magnetar A magnetar is a type of neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field (~10 to 10 T , ~10 to 10 G ). The magnetic-field decay powers

1764-450: The opportunity to not only observe at PMO, but also analyze data and prepare of a paper for publication. Early programs at PMO helped develop older software programs that allowed K-12 teachers to perform observations remotely and process the data for classroom use. Past research projects included research on white dwarf stars and examining the large-scale structure of galaxies. The Planewave 14” Corrected Dall-Kirkham telescope and dome are

1813-437: The physical theories about it. Graphs of the apparent magnitude of a variable star over time are commonly used to visualise and analyse their behaviour. Although the categorisation of variable star types is increasingly done from their spectral properties, the amplitudes, periods, and regularity of their brightness changes are still important factors. Some types such as Cepheids have extremely regular light curves with exactly

1862-480: The physics department took the Fecker to Cache Mountain near Sisters, Oregon to conduct an atmospheric feasibility study. The positive results from that survey led to the construction of PMO. In the earliest days of PMO the Observatory received a grant to construct a dome for the Fecker, and the 'Grand Old Lady' saw its first light in the spring of 1968! Unfortunately, by the 1990s the Fecker had fallen into deep disrepair. It

1911-484: The public to learn more about the universe. Completed in summer 1967, the Boller & Chivens 24” dome was the first building constructed at PMO after a special use permit from the Deschutes National Forest was granted. In August 1967 the telescope was installed and the grand opening of PMO was held on September 17, 1967. That same night, the telescope saw its first light!  Throughout the 1970s and 1980s

1960-413: The quantum-relativistic de Broglie wavelength of an electron." In a field of about 10 teslas atomic orbitals deform into rod shapes. At 10 teslas, a hydrogen atom becomes 200 times as narrow as its normal diameter. The dominant model of the strong fields of magnetars is that it results from a magnetohydrodynamic dynamo process in the turbulent, extremely dense conducting fluid that exists before

2009-506: The radiation was detected by the International Sun–Earth Explorer in halo orbit . This was the strongest wave of extra-solar gamma rays ever detected at over 100 times as intense as any previously known burst. Given the speed of light and its detection by several widely dispersed spacecraft, the source of the gamma radiation could be triangulated to within an accuracy of approximately 2 arcseconds . The direction of

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2058-424: The same period, amplitude, and shape in each cycle. Others such as Mira variables have somewhat less regular light curves with large amplitudes of several magnitudes, while the semiregular variables are less regular still and have smaller amplitudes. The shapes of variable star light curves give valuable information about the underlying physical processes producing the brightness changes. For eclipsing variables,

2107-470: The shape of the light curve indicates the degree of totality, the relative sizes of the stars, and their relative surface brightnesses. It may also show the eccentricity of the orbit and distortions in the shape of the two stars. For pulsating stars, the amplitude or period of the pulsations can be related to the luminosity of the star, and the light curve shape can be an indicator of the pulsation mode. Light curves from supernovae can be indicative of

2156-501: The shape of the object, or to bright and dark areas on its surface. For example, an asymmetrical asteroid's light curve generally has more pronounced peaks, while a more spherical object's light curve will be flatter. This allows astronomers to infer information about the shape and spin (but not size) of asteroids. The Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB) of the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) uses

2205-525: The source corresponded with the remnants of a star that had gone supernova around 3000 BCE . It was in the Large Magellanic Cloud and the source was named SGR 0525-66 ; the event itself was named GRB 790305b , the first-observed SGR megaflare. On February 21, 2008, it was announced that NASA and researchers at McGill University had discovered a neutron star with the properties of a radio pulsar which emitted some magnetically powered bursts, like

2254-518: The type II-L (linear) but are distinguished by a light curve where the decline flattens out for several weeks or months before resuming its fade. In planetary science , a light curve can be used to derive the rotation period of a minor planet , moon , or comet nucleus. From the Earth there is often no way to resolve a small object in the Solar System , even in the most powerful of telescopes , since

2303-431: The type of supernova. Although supernova types are defined on the basis of their spectra, each has typical light curve shapes. Type I supernovae have light curves with a sharp maximum and gradually decline, while Type II supernovae have less sharp maxima. Light curves are helpful for classification of faint supernovae and for the determination of sub-types. For example, the type II-P (for plateau) have similar spectra to

2352-528: Was extended to explain anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs). As of July 2021 , 24 magnetars have been confirmed. It has been suggested that magnetars are the source of fast radio bursts (FRB), in particular as a result of findings in 2020 by scientists using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope. Like other neutron stars , magnetars are around 20 kilometres (12 mi) in diameter, and have

2401-460: Was not until 2012 that the Head of Operations Alton Luken (a PMO volunteer at the time) found the telescope under a shelf behind rolls of insulation. Luken spent the next 3 years fully restoring the Fecker to her former glory. The telescope was then re-installed in a dome in summer 2015 and the Fecker has acted as an invaluable tool for UO Physics students to develop their science communication skills and for

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