Tenagra Observatory and Tenagra Observatory II are astronomical observatories in Cottage Grove, Oregon and Arizona. The observatories house heavily automated robotic telescopes.
Beginning in 2018, after a NASA grant to owner Michael Schwartz expired, control of the Arizona observatory was turned over to Gianluca Masi's Virtual Telescope project.[4]
Instruments
The observatory near Cottage Grove, Oregon was constructed c. 1998, and had a 14-inch (360 mm) Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain with a SBIG CCD imager, probably upgraded to Apogee Instruments later.[5][6]
The Arizona observatory at Patagonia, 20 miles from Nogales, began operations in 2000. Tenagra II is a custom-made 32-inch (810 mm) Ritchey-Chretien telescope manufactured by SciTech Astronomical Research, in operation since 2001.[7][4][6] "Pearl" is a 16-inch (410 mm) f/3.75 corrected Newtonian.[5] There is also a 24-inch (610 mm) SciTech Ritchey-Chretien, and another 14-inch Celestron.[6]
The Oregon site was in use as of 2004 as a backup site, during the Southwest monsoon season.[6]
Observations and public outreach
The robotic telescopes can image 1,000 galaxies in an evening for supernova discovery.[6] Using the Oregon Tenagra I telescope, its maker became "the first amateur to achieve consistent supernova discoveries" by using a robotic telescope "to patrol hundreds of galaxies each night".[8]
The Oregon observatory discovered supernova SN 1997cx [pl].[9]
Paulo R. Holvorcem (Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil) and Michael Schwartz (Patagonia, Arizona) discovered comet C/2011 K1 (Schwartz-Holvorcem) [uk] in May 2011.[10][11]
Comet 274P/Tombaugh-Tenagra [fr] is named for the observatory and Clyde Tombaugh. Tombaugh initially discovered it in January 1931,[12] but was not recovered until 2012. It was provisionally named Comet P/2012 WX_32 (Tenagra) when recovered by Michael Schwartz and Paulo R. Holvorcem using Tenagra II.[13]
In 2018, imagery from the Arizona observatory was livestreamed by Gianluca Masi during the 2018 DV1 close approach to Earth as a Virtual Telescope project outreach event.[17] Images of the Tiangong-1 space station in its decaying orbit were livestreamed in 2018, a few days before reentry.[18]
^Levy 2003, pp. 77–79 The object recognized as a comet by Tombaugh was incorrectly reported by observatory personnel at the time as an asteroid and designated 1931 AN.
Polakis, Tom (May 2004), "Robotic Observing: If Robotic-Controlled Telescopes Are the Future of Astronomical Observing, Then Tenagra Observatories Are Leading This Technological Revolution", Astronomy, 32 (5)
Schwartz, M.; Jha, S.; Garnavich, P.; Challis, P.; Kirshner, R.; Berlind, P.; Hergenrother, C. W. (1997), Green, D. W. E. (ed.), "Supernova 1997cx in NGC 3057", IAU Circ., 6700: 1, Bibcode:1997IAUC.6700....1S
Holvorcem, P. R.; Schwartz, M.; Juels, C. W.; Breganhola, M.; Camargo, J.; Teixeira, R. (2003). "Astrometry of Near-Earth Asteroids Using Remotely-Operated Robotic Telescopes". Astronomy in Latin America, Second Meeting on Astrometry in Latin America and Third Brazilian Meeting on Fundamental Astronomy, Held 2–5 September 2002. 1 (1). ADeLA Publications: 91–100. Bibcode:2003ala..conf...91H.
Beatty, J. Kelly (May 15, 2014), "Amateur comet hunters get 2013 award", Sky & Telescope, Now in its 15th year, the Edgar Wilson Award recognizes comet discoveries made by amateur observers. The 2013 awards honor seven dedicated individuals who scan the skies.
Schwartz, M.; Holvorcem, P. R.; Williams, G. V.; Marsden, C. L.; Sato, H.; Kowalski, R. A. (December 2012), Green, D. W. E. (ed.), "Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams, No. 3329, #1 (2012)", Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams, 3329: 1, Bibcode:2012CBET.3329....1S
Mobberley, Martin (2004). The New Amateur Astronomer. Springer London. ISBN1852336633. [S]upernova patroller Michael Schwartz, director of his private "Tenagra" Observatory in Oregon, showed the way by acquiring one of the first Paramount GT1100 [computer controlled telescope mounts] and coupling it to a Celestron 14 Optical Tube Assembly ... Michael was really the first amateur to achieve consistent supernova discoveries by using the Paramount to patrol hundreds of galaxies each night.
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