Imaging the Universe
The Telescope
The Robert L. Mutel Telescope is a half-meter Corrected Dall-Kirkham style telescope manufactured by PlaneWave Instruments.
The Camera
This system uses an QHY600 Pro Monochrome CMOS camera to capture light from objects as dim as magnitude 22.
Online Operation.
Midwest nights are mostly cloudy. The RLMT automatically takes pictures all night, allowing our users to download their images the next day.
Live Viewing.
Our telescope can also be controlled live, giving viewers real-time views of the Universe while anywhere on Earth.
A Storied Observatory...
REMOTELY CONTROLLED AND OPERATED
Professor Robert L. Mutel began operating the Iowa Remote Observatory in 1997 to give Iowa students access to skies otherwise often hidden behind clouds. After his retirement it needed a new home. Three former Iowa students at Macalester College, Augustana College, and Coe College took the reins and now manage the observatory, along with Knox College, for their students and user members at The University of Iowa.
The System...
IMAGING AS FAINT AS 22nd MAGNITUDE OBJECTS
The RLMT is a state-of-the-art 20 inch CDK style telescope manufactured by PlaneWave instruments. Attached are two filter wheels totaling 12 filters enabling narrowband and broadband photometric observations in addition to spectroscopy. The images are produced by a full-frame QHY600 Pro monochrome CMOS camera capable of capturing 61 megapixel images, which gives our users unprecedented control over object capture.
MACRO's Latest Newsletter (download the PDF by clicking here):
Meet the team...
The Founders and Directors of MACRO
Nathalie Haurberg teaches physics and astronomy at Knox College. Her research as an observational astronomer focuses on the chemical evolution of dwarf galaxies over cosmic time. She additionally enjoys working with students on a variety of observational astronomy projects utilizing the RLMT and Knox College Observatory.
James Wetzel is a scientist and entrepreneur involved with experiments at Fermilab, CERN, the University of Iowa, Coe College, various startups in the Iowa City area, and now the MACRO Observatory. He is mainly interested in connecting people with science to help to develop our shared understanding of the world we live in.
Bill Peterson is an Iowa native whose research involves studying radiation produced by the Earth's magnetosphere, and taking high-resolution radio images of stars. He has published articles in Nature and the Astrophysical Journal. His research at Augustana continues the study of magnetically active stars.
John Cannon is an observational astronomer at Macalester College with a focus on nearby, low-mass galaxies. Using data from a variety of ground and space-based observatories, he works with students to understand the nature and evolution of these systems in the local universe.