Andreas Observatory
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Andreas Observatory — named for Lowell and Nadine Andreas of Mankato, MN — was established in 1990 to provide the MSU astronomy program with a modern observing facility. This observatory was designed with three basic functions in mind:
- To train students majoring in astronomy in the use of a modern telescope
- To provide a telescope capable of supporting student and faculty research projects
- To offer opportunities to the public for viewing the night skies through a research-quality telescope
Location:
Andreas Observatory is located on the southern edge of the MSU campus approximately 550 yards beyond the Lot #1 gate — about 150 yards east of Standeford Observatory.
Coordinates of Andreas Observatory:
- Longitude: 93o 59′ 49″ West
- Latitude: 44o 08′ 18″ North
- Elevation: 990 feet
Telescopes and Instrumentation
The principal telescope at Andreas Observatory is a 0.5-meter (20-inch), f/13.5 Cassegrain telescope, manufactured by DFM Engineering, Inc. of Longmont, Colorado. This computer-controlled telescope has several hundred pre-programmed objects available for easy access during public viewing sessions.
The smaller black scope mounted on the side of the main telescope is the DFM finder scope (a 5-inch, f/9 refractor), which has a wider field of view and is useful in pointing and aligning the main telescope.
Mounted piggyback underneath the main telescope is a Takahashi BRC-250M – a 10-inch, f/5 Baker Ritchey-Chretien telescope that offers wide-field visual and photographic images of the sky.
Instrumentation at Andreas Observatory includes two SBIG CCD cameras, an SBIG spectrometer, photographic cameras and photometers. These can be attached to the telescopes for use by students in the observing courses and for student and faculty research projects.
Observatory Building
The main telescope is housed in an 18.5-foot Ash-Dome; the attached observatory building includes a control room, presentation room, work room, and storage areas.
Sky Conditions at Andreas Observatory
Auriga over Andreas Observatory, in moonlight
4/2/1993; ISO 400, 28mm f/3.5, 3m