Astronomical observations (using telescopes on the ground and in space) provide an essential complement to observations taken in-situ from spacecraft. Whereas the latter provide highly detailed measurements of specific objects, astronomical investigations reveal the broad scientific context within which spacecraft data must be interpreted. Scientists at UCLA conduct a wide range of planetary astronomical investigations using facilities from the world’s largest optical telescopes (the 10-m Keck twins, jointly run by University of California and Caltech) and the largest radio dish (the 305-m diameter Arecibo) to smaller telescopes on the ground, the Hubble and Herschel telescopes in space and, soon, the SOFIA Stratospheric Observatory.
Planetary Astronomy Facilities
- Arecibo Planetary Radar: Jean-Luc Margot
- Keck Observatory: David Jewitt, Mike Jura, Jean-Luc Margot, Ben Zuckerman
- Hubble Space Telescope: David Jewitt, Mike Jura, Jean-Luc Margot, Ben Zuckerman
- Herschel Space Observatory: David Jewitt
- SOFIA Airborne Observatory: Eric Becklin (PI)