detail page

name:
Madrona Peak Observatory

description:
Telescope:  24" f/7.8 (RCOS 610 RC)
Camera:     QHY461PH
Location:   29.7404 lat, -99.2786 long, 379.0 m elevation

Field of view:  31x24 arcmin
Plate scale:    0.323 arcsec/pixel
Filters:        B,V,R,SU,SG,SR,SI,SZ,Clear,Dark

Site manager:   Walt Cooney

Comments

Cliff Kotnik — Feb. 4, 2026, 7:47 p.m.

Camera replaced with QHY461. HA filter dropped and dark filter added.

Arne Henden — Nov. 15, 2025, 11:34 a.m.

operational.
camera upgrade in progress, may happen in near future.

George Silvis — Oct. 19, 2022, 6:05 p.m.

email from MPO:
After weeks of poor skies and a broken camera, MPO is finally back up. We had to swap out the Apogee CG16M for our backup U16M. If you recall, the temperature regulation on our U16M is not as good as the CG16M so keep this in mind as you review the data.

Arne Henden — Sept. 14, 2022, 1:07 p.m.

Operational, with weather constraints.

- - - - - - -

Scope specifications:

 {
    "TELESCOP": "MPO_RCOS610_QHY461",
    "_state": null,
    "active": true,
    "aperture": 609.6,
    "binning": 2,
    "camera_desc": "QHY461PH",
    "changed": "2026-01-29",
    "description": "Madrona Peak Observatory",
    "elevation": 379.0,
    "filters": "B,V,R,SU,SG,SR,SI,SZ,Clear,Dark",
    "focal_len": 4814.0,
    "fov": "31x24",
    "fov_old": 27,
    "gain": 1.26,
    "id_scope": 61,
    "latitude": 29.7404,
    "linearitylimit": 60000.0,
    "longitude": -99.2786,
    "max_exposure": 480.0,
    "min_exposure": 0.05,
    "name": "MPO61",
    "name_long": "Madrona Peak Observatory",
    "platescale": 0.323,
    "read_noise": null,
    "readout_mode": "Monochrome",
    "site_mgr": "Walt Cooney",
    "symlink": "mpo61c",
    "telescope_desc": "24\" f/7.8 (RCOS 610 RC)",
    "timezone": "America/Chicago"
}