Observe the observers.

April 1, 2009 11:44 PM

Around the World in 80 Telescopes Starting at 09:00 UT on April 3 (figure out what time that is for you here) join in for a 24 hour webcast visiting 80 of the world's astronomical observatories. What are the astronomers up to? What is it like to spend a night at a telescope?

Get an inside look at the Keck Observatory, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (currently being constructed in Chile), the South Pole Telescope, the Allen Telescope Array and many others.

While you're at it, check out the Cosmic Diary where astronomers from around the world are blogging about their lives and research.

Wonder why astronomers are all up in your face suddenly? Well, its the International Year of Astronomy!

And coming up later this spring, the launch of Herschel (a new space telescope that observes in the infrared and longer wavelengths) and Servicing Mission 4 to Hubble!

posted by kms (4 comments total)

This is part of the 100 Hours of Astronomy

Oh and you cannot mention Herschel's launch without mentioning Planck - which will be a massively important satellite observing the cosmic microwave background left over from the Big Bang.
posted by edd at 3:08 AM on April 2, 2009

And you can't mention either of Herschel or Planck without a reference to the Oklo reactor.
posted by DU at 4:59 AM on April 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

Damn astronomers be all up in my face
posted by Catfry at 11:24 PM on April 2, 2009

edd! I see they had your AAT. Bring back memories?
posted by tellurian at 8:24 PM on April 6, 2009