Since March 2005, virtually all images on this site were taken from the BlackBird Observatory, below. It houses a .5 meter Ritchey-Chretien Telescope manufactured by RC Optical Systems that rides on a Paramount ME mount. The telescope and associated equipment to support its remote use is owned by the Internet Telescope Partnership, of which I am a full Partner. As of January 2010, the principal instrument for acquiring telescopic imagery is the Apogee Alta U16M-HC (16 mega-pixel) astronomical camera. Color exposures are accomplished with an Apogee AI-FW50-7S filter wheel equipped with Astrodon E-Series filters. Prior to 2010, imagery was produced with a SBIG STL-11000M (11 mega-pixel) astronomical camera, the SBIG AO-L adaptive optics unit and Custom Scientific filters. Here is an inside view. The observatory is situated at 7300 ft. (2225 meters) elevation under spectacularly clear and dark skies in the south central Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico, near Mayhill. The combination of sophisticated electronics, dark skies, high elevation, and outstanding optics enables complete remote control of the telescope and camera for acquisition of fine high quality images over the Internet using a common browser. Home page.