CS3-DanHenge Observatory

CS3-DanHenge Observatory is one of several robotic telescope stations at the Center for Solar System Studies (CS3), located near Landers in California's High Desert, about 20 miles northwest of Joshua Tree National Park.

About CS3-DanHenge Observatory

CS3-DanHenge is part of a larger complex of nine robotic observatories operated by the Center for Solar System Studies, all dedicated to asteroid research and photometry. The facility is fully robotic, with its telescopes controlled remotely over the internet, allowing continuous observing programmes without staff needing to be on site each night.

History

The CS3 facility was established in 2013. By 2020, its instruments were reported to be in active observation roughly 76% of the time, an unusually high duty cycle that reflects the automated, internet-controlled design of the site.

Telescopes & research

Across its stations, CS3 has obtained lightcurves for more than 2,021 distinct solar system objects, contributing photometric data used to study asteroid rotation, shape, and spin axis. This makes CS3-DanHenge part of a productive, ongoing programme of minor-planet science rather than a single fixed instrument.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits in the High Desert of California, near Landers, within reach of Joshua Tree National Park. The area's dark skies and low humidity are well suited to the kind of steady, high-cadence photometric observing that asteroid lightcurve work requires.

Visiting CS3-DanHenge Observatory

As a robotic research facility rather than a public visitor site, CS3-DanHenge does not appear to offer regular walk-in access. Check the Center for Solar System Studies' official channels for any current visitor or outreach information.

See your named star from here

Robotic observatories like CS3-DanHenge rely on precise coordinates to track their targets across the sky — exactly the kind of data that comes with every star named through Star Register. Name a star or browse the catalogue to see what's available.