astronomy

Oak Ridge Observatory

Oak Ridge Observatory is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Oak Ridge Observatory rather than just read about it. In short: The Oak Ridge Observatory (ORO, code: 801), also known as the George R. Agassiz Station, is located at 42 Pinnacle Road, Harvard, Massachusetts.

Key takeaways

Oak Ridge Observatory belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Oak Ridge Observatory to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Oak Ridge Observatory from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Oak Ridge Observatory (ORO, code: 801), also known as the George R. Agassiz Station, is located at 42 Pinnacle Road, Harvard, Massachusetts. It was operated by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian as a facility of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) from 1933 until August 19, 2005.

Description The observatory was established in 1933. Through its first 40 years, its primary research focus was on tracking minor planets and asteroids in the Solar System. Starting in the 1980s, astronomers began to use the facility to measure stars over long periods of time, which led to hunts for extrasolar planets. The largest telescope east of Texas in the United States is the 61-inch reflector (see Hobby-Eberly Telescope). However, most of its projects were discontinued in 2005. Harvard University's Optical SETI program continues at the site. It also housed an 84-foot (26 m) steerable radio telescope once used in Project BETA, a search for extraterrestrial intelligence. A 41-cm (16-inch) Boller and Chivens Cassegrain reflector originally housed at Oak Ridge is available for public use at the National Air and Space Museum's Public Observatory Project on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The inner main-belt asteroid 4733 ORO, discovered at Oak Ridge in 1982, was named in honor of the observatory.

List of discovered minor planets

In addition to the discoveries below, the Minor Planet Center inconsistently credits some asteroids such as 4760 Jia-xiang directly to the Harvard College Observatory although they have been discovered at Oak Ridge.

See also Harvard University seismograph station Hobby–Eberly Telescope List of minor planet discoverers § Discovering dedicated institutions List of astronomical observatories Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

References

Further reading Bok, Bart J. (1956). "The George R. Agassiz Radio Telescope of Harvard Observatory". Nature. 178 (4527): 232–234. Bibcode:1956Natur.178..232B. doi:10.1038/178232a0. ISSN 0028-0836.

External links

Oak Ridge Observatory Slacker Astronomy: Optical SETI at Harvard's Oak Ridge – via YouTube Harvard Optical SETI The Boston Globe: "Lights out", June 28, 2005

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Oak Ridge Observatory

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Oak Ridge Observatory claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Oak Ridge Observatory before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Oak Ridge Observatory ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Oak Ridge Observatory

In research: Oak Ridge Observatory appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Oak Ridge Observatory in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Oak Ridge Observatory is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical observatories in Massachusetts, Buildings and structures in Worcester County, Massachusetts, Discoveries by the Oak Ridge Observatory, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Oak Ridge Observatory outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Oak Ridge Observatory in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Oak Ridge Observatory means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Oak Ridge Observatory out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Oak Ridge Observatory in simple terms?

The Oak Ridge Observatory (ORO, code: 801), also known as the George R. Agassiz Station, is located at 42 Pinnacle Road, Harvard, Massachusetts.

Why does Oak Ridge Observatory matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Oak Ridge Observatory?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Oak Ridge Observatory.