Farpoint Observatory

Coordinates: 38°53′24″N 96°00′25″W / 38.89000°N 96.00694°W / 38.89000; -96.00694
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Farpoint Observatory
OrganizationNEKAAL
Observatory code734
LocationEskridge, Kansas, U.S.
Coordinates38°53′24″N 96°00′25″W / 38.89000°N 96.00694°W / 38.89000; -96.00694
Established1996 (1996)
WebsiteNEKAAL.org
Telescopes
Clyde Tombaugh Telescope27 inches (69 cm) reflector
Farpoint Observatory is located in the United States
Farpoint Observatory
Location of Farpoint Observatory
Minor planets discovered: 131 [1]
see § List of discovered minor planets

Farpoint Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Northeast Kansas Amateur Astronomers' League, or NEKAAL. It is located on the grounds of Mission Valley High School at Eskridge, near Auburn, Kansas, approximately 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Topeka, Kansas, United States.[2]

Summary[edit]

Farpoint Observatory is International Astronomical Union (IAU) observatory code 734, and is home to the Farpoint Asteroid Search Team (FAST), which has an international reputation having discovered more than 330 non-NEO (Near Earth Orbit) asteroids in addition to many in NEO orbits. As of January 1, 2014, Farpoint observers had contributed more than minor planet observations to the IAU Minor Planet Center.

NEKAAL received a $56,060 grant from NASA's Near Earth Objects (NEO) tracking program to acquire and install at Farpoint the Pitt telescope from Lindley Hall, University of Kansas.[3] After full refurbishment, the telescope now measures 27 inches in aperture (primary mirror diameter), 9 feet 3 inches in length, with weight of 1,600 pounds (725 kg).[4]

The main-belt asteroid 23989 Farpoint, discovered by amateur astronomers Gary Hug and Graham E. Bell at Farpoint in 1999, was named for the observatory.[2]

List of discovered minor planets[edit]

(26623) 2000 GK82 8 April 2000 list[A]
(27427) 2000 FE1 31 March 2000 list[A]
(27429) 2000 FL8 28 March 2000 list[A]
(28463) 2000 AG168 7 January 2000 list[A]
(28491) 2000 CC59 5 February 2000 list[A]
(32304) 2000 QC25 25 August 2000 list[A]
(33948) 2000 MA2 25 June 2000 list[A]
(33995) 2000 OV1 26 July 2000 list[A]
(42095) 2001 AY25 6 January 2001 list[A]
(42096) 2001 AZ25 6 January 2001 list[A]
(44893) 1999 VV8 5 November 1999 list[A]
(53814) 2000 EH137 12 March 2000 list[A]
(54111) 2000 HP11 30 April 2000 list[A]
(54438) 2000 MB2 25 June 2000 list[A]
(54666) 2000 WJ6 20 November 2000 list[A]
(55407) 2001 TQ1 11 October 2001 list[A]
(61194) 2000 OU1 24 July 2000 list[A]
(67377) 2000 OW1 26 July 2000 list[A]
(70678) 1999 UB2 18 October 1999 list[A]
(71890) 2000 WK6 20 November 2000 list[A]
(72837) 2001 HQ24 24 April 2001 list[A]
(76384) 2000 FE 24 March 2000 list[A]
(76849) 2000 WL6 20 November 2000 list[A]
(81914) 2000 NJ11 12 July 2000 list[A]
(82738) 2001 QA 16 August 2001 list[A]
(87123) 2000 MO1 25 June 2000 list[A]
(88471) 2001 QL111 26 August 2001 list[A]
(88905) 2001 TN1 11 October 2001 list[A]
(95472) 2002 EG1 5 March 2002 list[A]
(101905) 1999 RN1 4 September 1999 list[A]
(103461) 2000 AX205 14 January 2000 list[A]
(104897) 2000 JP5 5 May 2000 list[A]
(109267) 2001 QM111 26 August 2001 list[A]
(110384) 2001 TM1 11 October 2001 list[A]
(113672) 2002 TN96 10 October 2002 list[A]
(115192) 2003 SO106 20 September 2003 list[A]
(118682) 2000 NJ3 7 July 2000 list[A]
(131191) 2001 DC7 17 February 2001 list[A]
(134753) 2000 CY1 3 February 2000 list[A]
(134986) 2001 FE100 17 March 2001 list[A]
(137499) 1999 VS11 5 November 1999 list[A]
(143075) 2002 WP20 29 November 2002 list[A]
(148575) 2001 QA272 19 August 2001 list[B]
(152072) 2004 RF9 7 September 2004 list[B]
(152468) 2005 VN114 10 November 2005 list[B]
(154145) 2002 FX5 22 March 2002 list[B]
(154149) 2002 GS1 5 April 2002 list[B]
(161220) 2002 WH17 29 November 2002 list[B]
(164588) 2007 PP 3 August 2007 list[B]
(168260) 2006 NT 2 July 2006 list[B]
(171375) 2006 OH 17 July 2006 list[B]
(179219) 2001 TB238 14 October 2001 list[B]
(179621) 2002 PY36 8 August 2002 list[B]
(185434) 2006 XK31 13 December 2006 list[B]
(185533) 2007 WG53 17 November 2007 list[B]
(185977) 2001 MU7 23 June 2001 list[B]
(187305) 2005 UO2 23 October 2005 list[B]
(187917) 2000 WH9 21 November 2000 list[B]
(188230) 2002 TO300 15 October 2002 list[B]
(188938) 2007 DO1 18 February 2007 list[B]
(188942) 2007 DD8 21 February 2007 list[B]
(189180) 2003 AH8 3 January 2003 list[B]
(189713) 2001 TD198 11 October 2001 list[B]
(193717) 2001 FP102 17 March 2001 list[B]
(193849) 2001 QK111 26 August 2001 list[B]
(195381) 2002 GL1 2 April 2002 list[B]
(200006) 2007 LG 6 June 2007 list[B]
(200026) 2007 PD2 7 August 2007 list[B]
(200334) 2000 HO11 30 April 2000 list[B]
(202748) 2007 OV3 18 July 2007 list[B]
(203472) 2002 AH17 12 January 2002 list[B]
(207562) 2006 OW15 30 July 2006 list[B]
(207595) 2006 QL79 24 August 2006 list[B]
(207660) 2007 PA2 7 August 2007 list[B]
(207877) 2007 VN300 14 November 2007 list[B]
(213530) 2002 JE1 4 May 2002 list[B]
(216287) 2007 AE 7 January 2007 list[B]
(219479) 2001 DB7 17 February 2001 list[B]
(222710) 2002 AN91 15 January 2002 list[B]
(227141) 2005 PJ 1 August 2005 list[B]
(230345) 2002 CO252 4 February 2002 list[B]
(238881) 2005 YM40 27 December 2005 list[B]
(240132) 2002 JD 3 May 2002 list[B]
(240217) 2002 SX44 29 September 2002 list[B]
(242919) 2006 OA7 24 July 2006 list[B]
(243662) 1999 VW71 15 November 1999 list[B]
(243735) 2000 OT1 23 July 2000 list[B]
(244298) 2002 FY5 22 March 2002 list[B]
(252389) 2001 TT 6 October 2001 list[B]
(254745) 2005 OT22 28 July 2005 list[B]
(256390) 2006 YS44 26 December 2006 list[B]
(258630) 2002 EE1 5 March 2002 list[B]
(270832) 2002 SF44 29 September 2002 list[B]
(272646) 2005 WC117 30 November 2005 list[B]
(282190) 2001 TG198 11 October 2001 list[B]
(282791) 2006 NA 1 July 2006 list[B]
(284327) 2006 RY1 13 September 2006 list[B]
(290920) 2005 WQ118 30 November 2005 list[B]
(292050) 2006 RX1 13 September 2006 list[B]
(292183) 2006 SM20 19 September 2006 list[B]
(292277) 2006 SS121 19 September 2006 list[B]
(292286) 2006 SG131 25 September 2006 list[B]
(297354) 2000 AB147 7 January 2000 list[B]
(299948) 2006 TT56 14 October 2006 list[B]
(309145) 2006 YR6 19 December 2006 list[B]
(309147) 2006 YD13 23 December 2006 list[B]
(332215) 2006 GN3 1 April 2006 list[B]
(344115) 1999 VV71 15 November 1999 list[B]
(344179) 2001 DX7 18 February 2001 list[B]
(345220) 2005 UV158 29 October 2005 list[B]
(345537) 2006 QK79 24 August 2006 list[B]
(348720) 2006 DY50 23 February 2006 list[B]
(351847) 2006 RZ2 14 September 2006 list[B]
(354029) 2001 RK16 10 September 2001 list[B]
(355021) 2006 QM137 31 August 2006 list[B]
(367124) 2006 SE131 25 September 2006 list[B]
(368275) 2002 EN2 5 March 2002 list[B]
(374922) 2006 YY1 19 December 2006 list[B]
(383395) 2006 TB59 13 October 2006 list[B]
(400016) 2006 MG13 25 June 2006 list[B]
(410025) 2006 XO3 12 December 2006 list[B]
(417474) 2006 RR22 15 September 2006 list[B]
(423831) 2006 OY2 17 July 2006 list[B]
(424031) 2006 YU13 23 December 2006 list[B]
(440241) 2004 RG9 7 September 2004 list[B]
(455385) 2002 VB85 9 November 2002 list[B]
(456339) 2006 TO1 1 October 2006 list[B]
(461950) 2006 TP9 13 October 2006 list[B]
(467491) 2006 UW63 23 October 2006 list[B]
(470214) 2006 WF29 22 November 2006 list[B]
(474642) 2004 XN3 3 December 2004 list[B]
Discoveries are credited by the MPC to:
A "Farpoint"
B "Eskridge"

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(23989) Farpoint". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (23989) Farpoint. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 873. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_9759. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ Terry Rombeck (18 June 2004). "Historic KU telescope gets a bold new assignment". Lawrence Journal World. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Local briefs: Telescope with KU mirror to be dedicated". Lawrence Journal World. 1 April 2005. Retrieved 29 November 2016.

External links[edit]