The Open
University's George Abell
Observatory houses a Meade
LX200 16-inch
instrument known
as the Alan
Cooper Telescope. The Observatory
facility is part of the Department
of
Physics and Astronomy and
operated jointly by members of that department and members
of the Open University Astronomy Club.
The Astronomy Club
welcomes new members (see their section of this
website) who may then participate in observing sessions at the
Observatory. The Observatory is also used to train postgraduate
students in observing techniques and to train staff who run the Open
University Astronomy and Planetary Science Residential Schools, SXR208,
held each year at the Observatori
Astronomic de
Mallorca.
The equipment for
the Observatory has been funded by a variety of grants from the Open University Capital Equipment Fund, the Open
University General Purposes Fund, the Open University Club, the SXR208 Course Team, and the Physics Innovations Centre
for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (piCETL).
Dr. Andrew Norton Director, George Abell
Observatory
Dr. Jonti Horner Chair, Open
University Astronomy Club
