Advanced Observing Program, KPNO Visitor Center

Images by guest observers and staff, processed and maintained by Adam Block

The Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) Visitor Center offers a public program for guests (basically everybody) to do quasi-professional astronomical observations, the Advanced Observing Program (AOP). Here you can rent a well-equipped 16-inch telescope for a full night. The images below have been obtained by participants, and processed by Adam Block, who also maintains a collection of more images - or just note his Best of AOP highlights.

M2: M2 color film image (Adam Block) [caption]
M8: M8 color film image (Adam Block) [caption]
M12: M12 color CCD image (A.&L. Gingrich) [caption]
M58: M58 color CCD image (Fred Cieslak) [caption]
M61: M61 color CCD image (Adam Block) [caption] M61 wider field (B.&A. Stavern) [caption]
M63: M63 color CCD image (Andy Fisher) [caption]
M65: M65 color CCD image (Chuck Greenberg & Scott Tucker) [caption]
M66: M66 color CCD image (Glenn Hitchcock & Bob Cowart) [caption]
M77: M77 color CCD image (Adam Block) [caption]
M78: M78 color CCD image (Y.&C. Pratt) [caption]
M87: M87 color CCD image (S. Larson & M. Murray) [caption]
M90: M90 color CCD image (G.&J. Siegelman) [caption]
M97: M97 color CCD image (Ron Murray & Debra Brown) [caption]
M99: M99 color CCD image (Adam Block) [caption]
M106: M106 color CCD image (R.&B. Sharer) [Hi-res, caption]
M108: M108 color CCD image (G.&B. Crossley) [caption]
M109: M109 color CCD image (Adam Block) [caption]

Every participant of the Advanced Observing Program (AOP) can take images like these! No special skills or previous astronomical experience is required. Instructed and assisted by astronomers, interested people can even use a well-equipped 16-inch telescope on Kitt Peak for one full night! (Isn't this a great vacations idea?)

Hartmut Frommert (spider@seds.org)
Christine Kronberg (smil@lrz.uni-muenchen.de)

Last Modification: 8 Jun 2001, 20:40 MET