Lulin Observatory: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Observatory}}

The '''Lulin Observatory''' ({{zh|c=鹿林天文台|p=Lùlín Tiānwéntái|l=Deer Forest Astronomical Observatory}}, [[List of observatory codes|obs. code]]: [[IAU code#D35|D35]]) is an [[astronomy|astronomical]] [[observatory]] operated by the Institute of Astronomy, [[National Central University]] in [[Taiwan]].

It is located at the summit of Mount Lulin in [[Xinyi, Nantou|Xinyi Township]], [[Nantou County]]. In 2007, [[Comet Lulin]] (C/2007 N3), was found by this observatory, and became the first comet discovered by a Taiwanese researcher.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hirsch|first1=Max|title=Local star-gazer discovers comet|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/07/28/2003371574|accessdateaccess-date=4 July 2016|work=[[Taipei Times]]|date=28 July 2007}}</ref> The minor planet [[147918 Chiayi]] was also discovered here.<ref>{{cite news|title=Minor planet officially named `'Chiayi'|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/10/17/2003383516|accessdateaccess-date=4 July 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=17 October 2007}}</ref>

The Lulin 1 meter had its first light in September 2002, after 10 years of development.<ref>http://www.lulin.ncu.edu.tw/doc/lulin-poster20030416print.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>

* SLT R-C telescope (D=0.40-m, f/8.8) by [[RC Optical Systems]] <ref>{{cite web |url=http://luss.y234.cn/overview.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdateaccess-date=2009-02-13 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129221753/http://luss.y234.cn/overview.htm |archivedatearchive-date=29 January 2009 }}</ref> or ''76-cm Super Light Telescope (SLT)''

* [[Taiwanese-AmericanTaiwanese–American Occultation Survey]] (TAOS)

The Lulin Sky Survey searched for [[near-Earth object]]s from 2006 to 2009.<ref name=betts/> The Lulin Sky Survey Telescope,<ref name=NCU>{{cite web|title=Lulin Observatory|url=http://www.astro.ncu.edu.tw/observatory/index_e.php|publisher=Graduate Institute of Astronomy, [[National Central University]]|accessdateaccess-date=20 November 2015}}</ref> a {{convert|16|in|cm|adj=on}} [[Ritchey–Chrétien telescope]] with a [[field of view]] of 27 [[Minute and second of arc|arcminutes]], was operated remotely from [[mainland China]], with robotic software developed in-house.<ref name=yang>{{cite web|last1=Yang|first1=T.C.|last2=Ye|first2=Q.|last3=Lin|first3=H.C.|last4=Lin|first4=C.S.|last5=Ip|first5=W.H|title=Introduction of Lulin Sky Survey (LUSS)|url=http://www.lulin.ncu.edu.tw/Research/CAST2006_LUSS_20060426_v0[1].50.ppt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510100623/http://www.lulin.ncu.edu.tw/Research/CAST2006_LUSS_20060426_v0%5b1%5d.50.ppt|deadurl-urlstatus=yesdead|archive-date=10 May 2017|publisher=[[National Central University]]|accessdateaccess-date=20 November 2015|format=slideshow|date=23 April 2006}}</ref><ref name=ye/> In addition to searching for new objects, the survey refined the orbits of known [[minor planet]]s and [[comet]]s, and performed [[Photometry (astronomy)|photometric]] analysis of a subset of objects.<ref name=ye>{{cite journal | lastlast1 = Ye | firstfirst1 = Quanzhi | last2 = Lin | first2 = H. | date = September 2009 | title = An Overview of Lulin Sky Survey | journal = AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts #41 | volume = 41 | pages = 34.09 | bibcode = 2009DPS....41.3409Y | publisher = [[American Astronomical Society]] }}</ref> The principal investigator, student Quan-Zhi Ye of [[Sun Yat-sen University]], was awarded the 2007 [[Carolyn S. Shoemaker|Shoemaker]] NEO Grant to develop the project.<ref name=betts>{{cite web|last1=Betts|first1=Bruce|title=Sky survey grant helps lead to a space science career|url=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/bruce-betts/2015/0114-sky-survey-meteor-studies.html|publisher=[[The Planetary Society]]|accessdateaccess-date=20 November 2015|date=16 January 2015}}</ref> Ye later identified a comet from images collected in July 2007 by collaborator Chi Sheng Lin; the unusual [[Retrograde and prograde motion|retrograde]] comet, formally named C/2007 N3, became known as [[Comet Lulin]]. It made its closest approach to Earth in February 2009.<ref name=rao>{{cite news|last1=Rao|first1=Joe|title=Newfound Comet Lulin to Grace Night Skies|url=http://www.space.com/1004-newfound-comet-lulin-grace-night-skies.html|accessdateaccess-date=20 November 2015|work=[[Space.com]]|date=6 February 2009}}</ref> Over the course of the survey, 781 new objects were discovered, including Comet Lulin and three fragments of commetcomet [[73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann]].<ref name=ye/> The LUSS project benefited from its location at a longitude with few other observatories looking for minor planets.<ref name=ye/>