The Latest and Biggest Observatory in the Gulf Region
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Saturday, February 15th 2014 [ME NewsWire]
Major
General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Director General of Central
Operations at Abu Dhabi Police, recently inaugurated the Emirates Mobile
Observatory in the presence of a number of officers. The observatory
is the latest and largest integrated astronomical observatory in the
region; Work is currently underway to include it in the International
Astronomical Union’s network of robotic telescopes designed for
meteorological and astronomical research.
Major General Dr. Ahmed
Nasser Al Raisi praised the initiative which represents another
outstanding achievement for the Abu Dhabi Police in particular and the
UAE in general. “This achievement reflects the UAE people’s sense of
belonging and patriotism, and their urgent desire to add further
scientific leading achievements at the local and international levels.
This, in turn, would strengthen the UAE’s prominent position as one of
the states that take interest in scientific research.
Major
General Al Raisi called on the Emirates Mobile Observatory to continue
its quest to spread the astronomical and scientific education among the
various segments of society. He also reiterated the police leadership’s
support for such achievements and initiatives that reflect the desire of
the UAE youth to strive for excellence in all areas.
During the
inauguration, a presentation was made on the development phases of the
observatory from 2000 until 2014. Major General Al Raisi put the
telescope into operation, by directing it towards astronomical targets.
For
his part, Nizar Salam, Chairman of the Emirates Mobile Observatory, UAE
representative at the Astronomers without Borders (AWB) organization,
and member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS)
said: “The CDK [Corrected Dall-Kirkham] telescope is the first of its
kind and one of the latest designs compared to other astronomical
telescopes. It was manufactured in the United States. The eight-month
long manufacturing process was carried out in accordance with the
highest technical standards and specifications, after signing the
purchase agreement between the Chairman of the Emirates Mobile
Observatory and the manufacturing company (PlaneWave), during the
General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union which was held
in Beijing in 2012.”
He added: “The carbon fiber telescope design
has a mirror diameter of 610 mm with a 3962 mm focal length and a field
of view of 70 mm. This allows astronomical imaging of celestial bodies
using specialized astronomical cameras. Compared to the naked eye, the
telescope can gather 8000 times more light than the human eye; which
gives a clear view of dim stars employing a light-pollution filter..
He
also noted that the telescope is placed on a self-rotating base to
track celestial bodies with precision. It carries 350 pounds of optical
equipment and is operated through astronomical software and computer
networks.
Adding further, Dr. Nizar Salam said that the telescope
has a unique design and a combination of mirrors and lenses, and will
be used to observe astronomical phenomena using ocular lenses and for
astrophotography (Astronomical imaging) via color filters (RGB) or
narrowband filters that transmit wavelengths emitted by the hydrogen and
oxygen atoms. “This would allow astronomical imaging even in the most
light-polluted. The telescope is equipped with an auto-focus control
unit and a temperature sensor to cool the mirrors using 7 fans that
operate automatically; in addition to an anti-dewing device,” he said.
He
also said: “The telescope will be used for scientific research
purposes, such as discovering and capturing images of Supernova
explosions, studying extra solar transits, discovering comets and
asteroids. Astrophotography is carried out at temperatures below the
telescope’s outside temperature, as low as -70° C; this means that
imaging will take place at below zero temperatures throughout the
summer, and this ensures high-quality images.”
It is worth
mentioning that the observatory has a custom-built mobile electric roof
system, an anti-dewing cooling system. A weather station is also
available on-site, with a primary and a secondary control room, which
provides remote web-based control of the telescope via the Emirates
Mobile Observatory website.
The telescope is the biggest
astronomical telescope in the Gulf region, which is intended to serve
members of the public. It will be used to observe astronomical phenomena
and activities, in cooperation with educational and scientific research
authorities.
For more information about:
The Ministry of Interior, please click HERE
Abu Dhabi Police, please click HERE
Follow us and check our Social Media feeds on: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
The
Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official,
authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation
only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text,
which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.
Contacts
The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department
Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media
Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317
E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com
Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/10036/en
No comments:
Post a Comment