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The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory (RAO) is an astronomicalobservatory located near the hamlet of Priddis, Alberta, Canada, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Calgary. The observatory is owned and operated by the University of Calgary (UC), and was dedicated in 1972.[1] The facility is used for research, undergraduate and graduate teaching, and public outreach. Research performed at the RAO included a variable star search program, follow-up observations of variable star discoveries, and detailed investigation of binary stars.[2][3][4] An outstanding minor planet search program was also performed with comet discoveries by Rob Cardinal.[5] The RAO is a link in the Skynet Robotic Telescope Network.[6]
The 1.8 m (71 in) A.R. Cross Telescope (ARCT) is a Ritchey-Chrétien design dedicated in 1987.[7] It is attached to an unusual altitude-altitude (alt-alt) mount which allows greater access to northern skies than other mounts.[8] It was originally equipped with 1.5 m (59 in) metal mirror acquired many years earlier, but even before the telescope was completed, plans were made to acquire a conventional mirror.[9] This new primary was fabricated in the 1980s and, under a cost-sharing agreement, used from 1990 to 1993 at Apache Point Observatory. The glass mirror was finally installed in 1996.[10] The telescope is equipped with the Rapid Alternate Detection System (RADS) developed at UC. The computer-controlled "chopping" of the secondary mirror enables observers to perform differential photometry with the telescope.
The 0.4 m (16 in) Clark-Milone Telescope (CMT), named after former co-directors Alan Clark and Eugene Milone, was installed at RAO in 1972.[14] It was used to develop RADS in the early 1980s.[15]
