View source for Blue Mesa Observatory

{{Short description|Observatory in New Mexico, U.S.}}
{{Infobox observatory
|name            = Blue Mesa Observatory
|background      = 
|image           = 
|caption         = 
|organization    = [[New Mexico State University]]
|code            = 
|location        = [[Sierra de las Uvas]], New Mexico
|coords          = {{Coord|32.4917|-107.1666|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|altitude        = {{Convert|1980|m|ft|sp=us}}
|weather         = 
|established     = {{Start date|1967}}
|closed          = {{End date|1993}}
|website         = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
|telescope1_name = {{Nobold|unnamed telescope}}
|telescope1_type = 0.61 m reflector
}}

'''Blue Mesa Observatory''' (BMO), also referred to Magdalena Peak Station for the [[International Planetary Patrol Program]], was an [[astronomy|astronomical]] [[observatory]] owned and operated by [[New Mexico State University]] (NMSU).  It was located on Magdalena Peak in the [[Sierra de las Uvas]] (Grape Mountains) of southern [[New Mexico]] (US), approximately {{convert|43|km|mi|sp=us}} northwest of [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]].  Founded in 1967 under the supervision of [[Clyde Tombaugh]], the observatory was closed in 1993.<ref name=1967REPT /><ref name=1993REPT /><ref name=1994REPT />  The site and the {{Convert|30|acre|sqmi km2}} surrounding it were conveyed to the [[Federal Aviation Administration]], which tore down the observatory building and replaced it with a [[radar]] installation.<ref name=NMSU-WP />

BMO's main telescope was a {{Convert|0.61|m|in|abbr=on}} [[Cassegrain reflector]] built by Astro Mechanics and installed in 1969.<ref name=1970REPT />  It was equipped with a [[Boller and Chivens]] [[spectrograph]], a [[spectrophotometer]], and a photoelectric photometer.  After BMO closed, the telescope and instruments were acquired by [[Pittsburg State University]] (PSU) in 1993.  It was installed at the [https://www.greenbush.org/214/PSU-Greenbush-Astrophysical-Observatory PSU-Greenbush Astrophysical Observatory] near [[Girard, Kansas]] in 1996.<ref name=PSUOBS />  PSU operates the observatory in cooperation with several local school districts.<ref name=GRBOBS />

==See also==
* [[Tortugas Mountain Observatory]]
* [[Corralitos Observatory]]
* [[Apache Point Observatory]]
* [[List of astronomical observatories]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=1967REPT>{{cite journal |bibcode=1967AJ.....72.1118H |title=Observatory Reports: National Radio Astronomy Observatory |author1=Tombaugh |first1=C. W. |volume=72 |date=November 1967 |pages=1122 |journal=Astronomical Journal }}</ref>

<ref name=1993REPT>{{cite journal |bibcode=1994BAAS...26..469. |title=Annual Reports of Astronomical Observatories and Departments: New Mexico State University, Astronomy Department |volume=26 |date=January 1994 |pages=469 |journal=Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society }}</ref>

<ref name=1994REPT>{{cite journal|bibcode=1993BAAS...25..420. |title=Annual Reports of Astronomical Observatories and Departments: New Mexico State University, Astronomy Department |volume=25 |date=January 1993 |pages=420 |journal=Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society }}</ref>

<ref name=1970REPT>{{cite journal|bibcode=1970BAAS....2..108T |title=New Mexico State University Observatory, Las Cruces, New Mexico. Report 1968-1969 |author1=Tombaugh |first1=C. W. |volume=2 |date=January 1970 |pages=108 |journal=Bulletin of the Astronomical Society }}</ref>

<ref name=PSUOBS>{{cite web |title=PSU/Greenbush Astrophysical Observatory - Pittsburg State University |url=http://www.pittstate.edu/department/physics/psugreenbush-astrophysical-observatory.dot |publisher=Pittsburg State University |access-date=2012-01-30}}</ref>

<ref name=GRBOBS>{{cite web |title=Astrophysical Observatory |url=http://vpn.greenbush.org/scictr/index.php/facilities/astrophysical-observatory.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130414233517/http://vpn.greenbush.org/scictr/index.php/facilities/astrophysical-observatory.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-04-14 |publisher=Greenbush Southeast Kansas Education Service Center |access-date=2012-01-30 }}</ref>

<ref name=NMSU-WP>{{cite web |title=NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY WATER PLAN 2002-2042 |url=http://www.ofs.nmsu.edu/Webdocs/NMSUWaterPlan2003.pdf |publisher=Office of Facilities and Services New Mexico State University |date=June 2003 |access-date=2012-01-30}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
* [http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/ Astronomy Department] at NMSU

{{New Mexico State University}}
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[[Category:Astronomical observatories in New Mexico]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Doña Ana County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Defunct astronomical observatories]]
[[Category:New Mexico State University]]
[[Category:1967 establishments in New Mexico]]
[[Category:1993 disestablishments in New Mexico]]