Snow King Observatory and Planetarium
Snow King Observatory and Planetarium is an astronomy facility on US Forest Service property at the 7,808-foot (2,380 m) summit of Snow King Mountain in Jackson, Wyoming.[1] In January 2020, Bridger–Teton National Forest administrators released a draft environmental impact statement regarding the proposed facility.[2] A Nevada–Wyoming amateur astronomer, Samuel Singer, created the nonprofit Wyoming Stargazing in 2014 to foster the project.[3] Lead designer Jakub Galczynski joined Singer in 2015 to plan and design the Snow King Mountain Observatory.[4] Max C. Chapman, President of Snow King Mountain, approached Samuel Singer at Wyoming Stargazing's Farmers Market booth to discuss prospects of the Snow King Observatory.[5] In Fall 2024, Joe Zator, from University of Colorado at Boulder joined Snow King Observatory as the new observatory director. Zator, with an strictly-academic background, stepped in to be a first-time Director of an Observatory.[6]
The Snow King Observatory and Planetarium offers a Unique 150mm Solar Telescope (Hydrogen Alpha), a Planewave CDK1000 1-Meter Corrected Dall-Kirkham "Cassegrain" Telescope at 8,000 Feet.
The observatory officially opened with a speech by Bill Nye on June 1, 2024. With this construction and grand opening, Max C. Chapman Approached this structure as the First Observatory served by a Gondola on a Ski Resort in North America, Making this one-meter Planewave CDK1000 Telescope a first and one of a kind facility. Although this facility is in forest land, it is not publicly offered for usage. Privately Funded Scientist/Researchers can use the facilities for a Fee.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Snow King expansion now in Forest Service scoping phase". Buckrail. Jackson Hole, Wyoming. August 6, 2018.
- ^ "Snow King development analysis released for comment". KIFI. January 31, 2020.
- ^ Kelsey Dayton (April 8, 2014). "Night Vision: A Jackson Hole astronomer wants to build an observatory and planetarium". WyoFile.
- ^ Mike Cavaroc (September 3, 2015). "Jackson Hole Observatory Status from Summer 2015". Wyoming Stargazing.
- ^ Hannah Habermann (September 6, 2023). "Snow King Mountain sets the stage for new summit-top observatory and planetarium". Wyoming Public Media.
- ^ Richard Andersonl (April 3, 2024). "Astronomer stoked to reveal universe's glories". jhnewsandguide.
