Category: Astronomy

Exploring the cosmos

Employment Opportunity at Keck – Adaptive Optics Opto-Mechanical Engineer

Adaptive Optics Opto-Mechanical Engineer

W.M. Keck Observatory seeks a qualified Opto-Mechanical Engineer at its facilities in Hawaii to join a team that develops optimizes and maintains the Observatory’s Adaptive Optics (AO) systems.

Keck Observatory operates two of the largest and most scientifically productive optical/infrared telescopes in the world. Both telescopes are equipped with operational Laser Guide Star (LGS) AO systems whose capabilities continue to be developed to maintain their scientific competitiveness. The twin 10-meter telescopes are located on the summit of Mauna Kea, at almost 14,000 feet above sea level on the Big Island of Hawaii, one of the premier sites for astronomy.

Responsibilities

  • Opto-mechanical design including analysis, tolerancing and error budgets.
  • Implementation and optimization of opto-mechanical systems including installation and alignment.
  • Maintenance of the AO system opto-mechanics including preventative maintenance,
  • Performance monitoring and troubleshooting.
  • Prepare and review written documentation and drawings for new systems and modifications to existing systems.

Qualifications

  • B. S. in Opto-Mechanical, Optics or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
  • Experience with Adaptive Optics or instrument development.
  • Track record of precision designs of opto-mechanical components/systems.
  • Competence with Zemax, SolidWorks or equivalent.
  • Engineering process and documentation experience.

Applications/Resumes are received online only via the website:
www.keckobservatory.iapplicants.com

Astronomy Basics

-4.9 magnitude? Inferior conjunction? Maximum elongation? 3.4° separation? To explain many of the basic terms I use to describe sky events I really need to post some explanation. Something I can link to in order to explain myself. Using the magic of hypertext as it was originally meant to be used.

I have written a couple more astronomy basics posts to go along with the sky events postings. I have copied over a few more posts from the old DV blog, updating and refreshing them as I did so. Expect to see a series of astronomy basics posts through the month as I get everything setup in the new blog.

The Moon and Pleiades

Tonight a bright gibbous Moon will be just under 3° from the Pleiades star cluster. The Moon will be 84% illuminated, bright, but the cluster is bright enough to be seen even against a bright Moon. As the Pleiades move to the west over coming months there will be a few more lunar conjunctions, with increasingly smaller crescents.

Perihelion

Today the Earth is closest to the Sun, a point called perihelion. We will be about 147,098,290km (91,402,639miles) from the Sun. Compare this to the 152,098,232km (94,509,459miles) we will be at aphelion on July 4th, a difference of about 5,411,169km (3,362,344miles) occurs throughout one orbit.

It may seem odd that we are actually at the closest for the middle of northern winter, you just have to remember that proximity to the Sun is not the cause of the seasons. The seasons are caused by the axial tilt of the Earth, creating short and long days throughout the year, with a resulting change in the angle and intensity of the sunlight.

2012 Solstices and Equinoxes
  UT HST
Perihelion Jan 5 03:59UT Jan 4 17:59HST
Spring Equinox Mar 20 05:14UT Mar 19 19:14HST
Summer Solstice Jun 20 23:09UT Jun 20 13:09HST
Apehelion Jul 4 23:59UT Jul 4 13:59HST
Fall Equinox Sep 22 14:49UT Sep 22 04:49HST
Winter Solstice Dec 21 11:12UT Dec 21 01:12HST
 
Source: USNO Data Services Website and the NASA Sky Calendar

 

Quadrantids

The first meteor shower of 2012 is likely to be a good one. The Quadrantids are a reliable shower, producing 60-120 ZHR, one to two meteors per minute. The Quadrantids are named for the obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis, now part of the constellation Boötes.

For viewers in the mid-Pacific the peak will arrive early on the morning of January 4th. The radiant rises around 2am, creating a pre-dawn event. Set the alarm clocks early for this one. While the predicted peak is January 4, 07:20 UT (January 3, 21:20 HST) the show should be quite decent for hours either side of this time. Unlike other showers where activity can occur for days or even weeks, the Quadrantids have a sharp peak, activity falls off rapidly on the preceding and following nights.

The Moon is still a few days short of full, allowing several dark hours before dawn for meteor watching. Moonset will occur about the same time the radiant rises, about 2am, giving observers about three hours of good dark skies to enjoy the event.

Watching meteors requires no more equipment than your eyes and a dark sky, and can be enjoyable for just about anyone. Set the alarm clock, this one should be worth the early morning wake-up.

Postcard from the Summit – White Christmas

Regular snowfall has accumulated at the summit. It is patchy, the wind sweeping the snow off the slopes, creating substantial drifts behind buildings and against guardrails. If you want to sled or snowboard, some of the north slopes have a bit of accumulation. Try the small bowl between Keck and Subaru. Need to have a white Christmas in Hawai’i, we can provide this year…

Icy Summit
The Sun setting over an ice and snow covered Pu’u Hau Kea