Keep Watching the Skies!: The Story of Operation Moonwatch and the Dawn of the Space Age

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Object Details

Author

McCray, Patrick (W. Patrick)

Subject

Whipple, Fred Lawrence 1906-

Operation Moonwatch

Satellite Tracking Program

Moonwatch Program

Sputnik

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Summary

History of Operation Moonwatch, a volunteer observer program established after the launch of the artificial satellite Sputnik in 1957 by Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory to collect observations as artificial satellites orbited above, to provide data about the ionosphere and upper atmosphere. Conceived by SAO director Fred Whipple as a manual backup to automated cameras, the project engaged a wide array of amateurs in the new space frontier until it ended in 1975.

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

2008

Edition

First

Physical description

Number of pages : 324; Page numbers : 1-324

Publisher

Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press

Data Source

Smithsonian Archives - History Div

Topic

Volunteers

Scientific apparatus and instruments

Astronomy

Research--Equipment and supplies

Telescopes

Astronomical instruments

Satellites

Metadata Usage

Usage conditions apply

Record ID

siris_sic_12613