The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 (OAO-2, nicknamed Stargazer) was the first successful space telescope (first space telescope being OAO-1, which failed to operate once in orbit), launched on December 7, 1968.[3] An Atlas-Centaur rocket launched it into a nearly circular 750-kilometre (470 mi) altitude Earth orbit.[4] Data was collected in ultraviolet on many sources including comets, planets, and galaxies.[3][5] It had two major instrument sets facing in opposite directions; the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and the Wisconsin Experiment Package (WEP).[5] One discovery was large halos of hydrogen gas around comets,[5] and it also observed Nova Serpentis, which was a nova discovered in 1970.[3]
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2
Technicians in a clean room at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, check out the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 before the mission’s Dec. 7, 1968, launch.
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, also called Celescope, had four 12 inch (30.5 cm) Schwarzschild telescopes that fed into Uvicons.[6] The Uvicon was an ultra-violet light detector based on the Westinghouse Vidicon.[7] Ultraviolet light was converted into electrons which were in turn converted to a voltage as those electrons hit the detection area of the tube.[8] There has been a Uvicon in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution since 1973.[7]
Various filters, photocathodes, and electronics aided in collecting data in several ultraviolet lightpassbands.[6] The detectors showed a gradual loss of sensitivity[9] and the experiment was turned off in April 1970.[6] By the time it finished about 10 percent of the sky was observed[6] resulting in a catalog of 5,068 UV stars.[9]
Wisconsin Experiment Packageedit
The Wisconsin Experiment Package had seven different telescopes for ultraviolet observations.[10] For example, there was a nebular photoelectric photometer fed by a 16-inch (40.64 cm) telescope with a six-position filter wheel[10] that unfortunately failed a few weeks after launch.[9]
In addition to the Celescope's catalog of UV stars, the WEP observed comet Tago-Sato-Kosaka and found it to be surrounded by a cloud of hydrogen, confirming that the comet was largely made up of water, and detected the 2175-angstrom bump, an increase in UV absorption at that wavelength that is still not fully explained.[9]
Spacecraft busedit
The observatory was built in the shape of an octagonal prism. It measured about 10 by 7 ft (3.0 by 2.1 m) and weighed 4,400 lb (2,000 kg).[11]
orbiting, astronomical, observatory, nicknamed, stargazer, first, successful, space, telescope, first, space, telescope, being, which, failed, operate, once, orbit, launched, december, 1968, atlas, centaur, rocket, launched, into, nearly, circular, kilometre, . The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 OAO 2 nicknamed Stargazer was the first successful space telescope first space telescope being OAO 1 which failed to operate once in orbit launched on December 7 1968 3 An Atlas Centaur rocket launched it into a nearly circular 750 kilometre 470 mi altitude Earth orbit 4 Data was collected in ultraviolet on many sources including comets planets and galaxies 3 5 It had two major instrument sets facing in opposite directions the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory SAO and the Wisconsin Experiment Package WEP 5 One discovery was large halos of hydrogen gas around comets 5 and it also observed Nova Serpentis which was a nova discovered in 1970 3 Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2Technicians in a clean room at NASA s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida check out the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 before the mission s Dec 7 1968 launch Mission typeAstronomyOperatorNASACOSPAR ID1968 110ASATCAT no 3597Spacecraft propertiesManufacturerGrummanDry mass2 012 kilograms 4 436 lb Start of missionLaunch date7 December 1968 08 40 09 1968 12 07UTC08 40 09 UTCRocketAtlas SLV 3C Centaur DLaunch siteCape Canaveral LC 36BEnd of missionDisposalTelescope issuesDeactivatedFebruary 1973 1973 03 1 Orbital parametersReference systemGeocentricRegimeLow EarthPerigee altitude768 kilometres 477 mi Apogee altitude777 kilometres 483 mi Inclination35 0 degreesPeriod100 30 minutesEpoch6 January 1969 2 Contents 1 Celescope Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 2 Wisconsin Experiment Package 3 Discoveries 4 Spacecraft bus 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksCelescope Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory editThe Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory also called Celescope had four 12 inch 30 5 cm Schwarzschild telescopes that fed into Uvicons 6 The Uvicon was an ultra violet light detector based on the Westinghouse Vidicon 7 Ultraviolet light was converted into electrons which were in turn converted to a voltage as those electrons hit the detection area of the tube 8 There has been a Uvicon in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution since 1973 7 Various filters photocathodes and electronics aided in collecting data in several ultraviolet light passbands 6 The detectors showed a gradual loss of sensitivity 9 and the experiment was turned off in April 1970 6 By the time it finished about 10 percent of the sky was observed 6 resulting in a catalog of 5 068 UV stars 9 Wisconsin Experiment Package editThe Wisconsin Experiment Package had seven different telescopes for ultraviolet observations 10 For example there was a nebular photoelectric photometer fed by a 16 inch 40 64 cm telescope with a six position filter wheel 10 that unfortunately failed a few weeks after launch 9 Construction was supervised by Arthur Code of the University of Wisconsin Madison 9 WEP observed over 1200 targets in ultraviolet light before the mission ended in early 1973 5 Discoveries editIn addition to the Celescope s catalog of UV stars the WEP observed comet Tago Sato Kosaka and found it to be surrounded by a cloud of hydrogen confirming that the comet was largely made up of water and detected the 2175 angstrom bump an increase in UV absorption at that wavelength that is still not fully explained 9 Spacecraft bus editThe observatory was built in the shape of an octagonal prism It measured about 10 by 7 ft 3 0 by 2 1 m and weighed 4 400 lb 2 000 kg 11 See also edit nbsp Spaceflight portalOrbiting Astronomical Observatory Orbiting Solar ObservatoryReferences edit NASA s First Stellar Observatory OAO 2 Turns 50 NASA 11 December 2018 Retrieved 19 March 2023 McDowell Jonathan Satellite Catalog Jonathan s Space Page Retrieved 12 October 2013 a b c Joseph A Angelo 2014 Spacecraft for Astronomy Infobase Publishing p 20 ISBN 978 1 4381 0896 4 Gunter OAO 2 a b c d Orbiting Astronomical Observatory OAO 2 a b c d High Resolution Telescopes a b Detector Uvicon Celescope National Air and Space Museum 2016 11 24 Retrieved 2018 01 24 Detector Uvicon Celescope National Air and Space Museum airandspace si edu Archived from the original on 2018 01 25 a b c d e Reddy Francis 11 Dec 2018 NASA s First Stellar Observatory OAO 2 Turns 50 NASA gov Retrieved 7 January 2023 a b Wisconsin Experiment Package OAO 2 Space Based Telescopes Retrieved 2018 10 25 External links editOAO 2 observations of the Alpha Persei cluster OAO 2 Info and pics 50th Anniversary Overview of OAO 2 including video nbsp This article about a specific observatory telescope or astronomical instrument is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This article about one or more spacecraft of the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 amp oldid 1178205663, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
