Kenyon Astrophysical Observatory

WELCOME and thanks for visiting the KAO home page.


KAO had first light in October of '94. The above picture was taken January of '95.


The picture above was taken August of '96. The site has now grown to 7 observatories.

KAO in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California !



Dedicated to Observing, Astrophotography and CCD imaging science from 1609 meters of elevation!
Latitude 39deg 16m 26s Longitude 120deg 42m 31s



Practical Astronomical Photometry
A new book by Dr. Scott W. Teare and myself (ISBN 0-9714693-0-X). Click here for a preview!

I am also one of the editors for the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 Society for Astronomical Sciences Conference Proceedings.

All are available from the Society for Astronomical Sciences.






Here is a link to my Meteor Monitoring Camera at Sierra College. Click Fire Ball Camera.



Below is an occultation of a star by an asteroid which was recorded at KAO!
The graph is a photometric plot of the dissapearence and reappearance of the star.




Click here for a video with sound of the event! RUN VIDEO



If you would like to know the weather at KAO now click here


If you would like to know about the Sacramento, CA club (SVAS) click here


Publications, Research and Science conducted at KAO ... click here

Examine the design and construction of KAO ... click here

How to perform "Successful CCD Imaging" (a how to article) ... click here

Where I work ... goto Faculty and Staff... click here

My trip to Kitt Peak for an imaging run in June of '00 here

Link to my rocket page... click here


Link to my home cat cam... click here




KAO RESOURCES:
CCD cameras and filter wheels from Apogee Instruments. I strongly recommend the use of TheSKY available from Software Bisque and MaxIM DL from Cyanogen Productions. The main instrument used for observing is 17.5 inch f4.5 reflector. This telescope was described in Sky and Telescope Magazine on pages 273-4 of the September '85 issue. Most of the CCD imaging is done through a piggy-backed 8 inch f4.5 Meade reflector.



Thanks again for visiting the KAO Home Page!
Dave Kenyon
Let me know what you think about the page. Send E-mail by clicking here.