Where would you go if you wanted the best vantage point to observe the stars? You might want to get as high as possible, where the air is so thin you start to feel a bit dizzy. It might be a good idea to get away from those city lights, too. Perhaps a desert, the Arctic or the South Pole will do. Welcome to the world of extreme observatories, where the views are spectacular, but human comfort isn't high on the list of priorities...
-
Slideshow: Top 10 Most Extreme Observatories On Earth
There's observatories on top of mountains, observatories in the middle of deserts, some observatories aren't even accessible to the public as they are located in a region where only the military can venture. These are the top 10 most extreme observatories on Earth as selected by HowStuffWorks.com writer Robert Lamb.
-
Interview: Wildfires and Observatories
The Station Fire is currently burning large swathes of woodland north of Los Angeles, threatening one of the worlds most famous observatories on Mount Wilson. Ian O'Neill has a chat with Scott Kardel who works at Mt. Wilson Observatory's twin site, the Palomar Observatory, 60 miles south. He has personal experience of just how ferocious a Southern California wildfire can be...
-
Opinion: Twitter as an Extreme Observatory?
Twitter has revolutionized how we communicate on the Internet, could it now be considered a powerful astronomical tool too? According to Adrian West, that certainly seems to be a possibility, connecting enthusiasts and professionals in an international astronomical campaign...
-
Big Pic: The Station Fire From Space
NASA's MODIS satellite took this picture above the LA County wildfires at the end of August, showing the location of the famous Mt. Wilson Observatory. After decades of calm, Mt. Wilson suddenly became an "extreme observatory" in its own right!
-
Puzzle: Extreme Observatories
Try to piece together these observatories to see what they actually look like. Let's face it, it's very unlikely you'll see them with your own eyes; they are either too high, too cold, or too hot!
-
Photo Quiz: What Is It?
In this photo quiz, it's pretty obvious what the picture could be, but do you know what it REALLY is? Try to guess the scene before revealing the answer...
-
News: World's Largest Telescope Acts Like Big Bucket
In July, the Gran Telescopio Canarias became the world's largest telescope. Sitting proudly 7,440 ft above the clouds atop a mountain on the island of La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands, its location is pretty extreme too.
BLOGS:
-
Station Fire Threatens Mount Wilson (Space Disco)
-
All Along the Watchtower (Twisted Physics)
-
LA Fires Seen From Space (Free Space)
MORE WIDE ANGLES
