THE GRENFELL OBSERVATORY Inside the 6-metre aluminum dome of the
Grenfell Campus Observatory, which is visible from all over the
city, there is a precision-made reflecting telescope. At the
heart of the telescope, designed and built by DFM Engineering of
Colorado, lies a 60 cm (24") mirror with almost 10,000 times the
light-gathering ability of the human eye. The faint light from
distant objects such as galaxies will be collected in this
"light-bucket", then focused through an eyepiece for direct
viewing or into instruments for analysis. The telescope is used
primarily as a research and teaching resource for physics and
astronomy faculty, staff and students, however community
outreach programs are also an important part of its mandate.
Public tours and observing nights are scheduled, as well as
remote-observing programs for provincial schools, and astronomy
and physics-themed "camps" for high school students - such as
the SNAP camp for Level II students held in the spring. The
telescope is fully computer-cont