JPL SynTrack Robotic Telescope 3
Image: Wikimedia Commons
JPL SynTrack Robotic Telescope 3 corresponds to the Titan Monitor (TiMo) telescope on Lowell Observatory's historic Mars Hill site in Flagstaff, Arizona.
About JPL SynTrack Robotic Telescope 3
The instrument was originally built in-house as a 21-inch reflector specifically to observe Saturn's moon Titan. It has since been reconfigured around a 20-inch (0.5-metre) PlaneWave CDK telescope co-mounted with a 13-inch telescope, fitted with a Princeton Instruments NIRvana640 near-infrared imager.
Telescopes & research
As the Titan Monitor project, the telescope's near-infrared imaging setup is used to track atmospheric and surface changes on Titan over time, contributing long-baseline monitoring data that complements spacecraft and larger-telescope observations of the moon.
Location & getting there
The telescope sits on Lowell Observatory's Mars Hill site in Flagstaff, Arizona, a location famous in astronomical history and known today for its dark-sky protections; Flagstaff was the world's first International Dark Sky City.
Visiting JPL SynTrack Robotic Telescope 3
While this particular instrument operates as a research telescope, Lowell Observatory's Mars Hill campus welcomes the public with tours and public viewing programmes. Check Lowell Observatory's official website for current opening hours and tickets before visiting.
See your named star from here
Flagstaff's protected dark skies have made Mars Hill a hub of discovery for over a century. Once you name a star with Star Register, its coordinates can guide a telescope here toward it just as easily as toward Titan. Browse the star catalogue to choose yours.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check Google Maps for current times before you travel.
