Back to SDSU Astronomy Department/Mount Laguna Observatory home pageMount Laguna Observatory (MLO) is operated by the SDSU Department of Astronomy to support its research, training, and educational programs. Current institutional partners include the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and the University of Kansas (KU). MLO is located 45 miles east of downtown San Diego at a dark site in the Cleveland National Forest at an altitude of 6100 feet (1859 meters). The three major research instruments and their auxiliary equipment are: the 40-inch (1.0-meter) reflector with UIUC, manufactured by Astro Mechanics, Inc. (two CCD cameras, Cassegrain spectrograph, Near IR camera, automated photometer, coude bench spectrograph, grism spectrograph); the 40-inch (1.0-meter) ULTRA reflector with KU (CCD camera system). and the Clifford Smith 24-inch (0.6-meter) reflector (automated photometer, SBIG CCD camera); The 16-inch (0.4-meter) reflector was replaced in June 2007 with the ULTRA reflector, which is based upon graphite fiber composites for both the mirrors and optical tube assembly. A five bedroom apartment building, four bedroom dormitory, and large shop building are also located on site. Instrument and CCD development are carried out at the on-campus mechanical and electronics shops. Observatory support staff includes a resident astronomer, an engineer, and observatory superintendent.
Sky conditions at MLO are photometric 60% of the time and spectroscopic 75% of the time. The poorer weather usually occurs in late Winter and early Spring (February and March). The Summer monsoon conditions that plague Kitt Peak in July and August are greatly moderated at MLO. The sky glow from San Diego and other urban areas contributes only about 5% at the zenith on moonless nights. Thus, on these dark nights, the sky brightness at the zenith in the Johnson B filter averages 22.8 magnitudes per square arcsecond. Seeing is generally less than two arcseconds and frequently less than one arcsecond. At the site reserved for our 100-inch (2.5-meter) class telescope, the average seeing is less than one arc second.
Our students engage in observational projects with the three research telescopes under the direction of the faculty. The 24-inch Smith telescope allows for extended observing runs for long-term projects, which are usually photometric in nature, as the bases of Master's and Senior theses. Graduate student research with the 40-inch Astro Mechanics telescope takes advantage of its direct-imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. The ULTRA reflector is undergoing shake-down tests for evenual operation over the Internet in both remote and robotic modes. ULTRA will be used exclusively for direct-imaging projects.
The Reginald Buller 21-inch (0.5-meter) Visitors' telescope, manufactured by J.W. Fecker, Inc., is used for instructional support of our General Education Astronomy classes and labs and for special SDSU public outreach programs. This classic telescope has superb optics for viewing by eye.
The Observatory has detailed plans to add a 100-inch (2.5-meter) class telescope to the facility. The site chosen for this telescope is on a knoll due south of the existing 24-inch telescope. SDSU is currently seeking donors and institutional partners to cover the cost of the instrument. This telescope represents an exceptional naming gift opportunity for an individual donor, family, or corporation.
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