Discipline: Astronomy
Research field: Spectrography, photometry
Context
The T60 has a long history before its arrival at the Pic du Midi. It was built in 1910 by a Geneva craftsman. It was bought and moved to the outskirts of Paris by a wealthy Italian amateur, Gentili di Giuseppe, whose son, Marcel, found refuge at Pic du Midi during the Second World War. Marcel donated his telescope and dome (now above T1M) to thank the Observatory for this protection.
After a long hiatus (since 1996), corresponding to the restructuring of the Pic du Midi observation station to welcome tourists and modernize equipment, the observatory once again opened its doors to amateur astronomers in the summer of 2002. Amateurs can use the 60-centimetre telescope on the main south-facing terrace on request. They will find a laboratory, focal instruments, computer equipment and the sky over the Pic du Midi…
This exceptional location is one of the T60’s key assets. It’s true that first contact with the Pic du Midi is always a shock. It’s hard to be insensitive to this beautiful mountain, to all the weight of its history, to its inner palpitation. Once the application has been accepted, enthusiasts on a mission live like professionals, in groups of up to 3 people, over a typical one-week period.
You don’t have to be a seasoned amateur to “climb the Peak”. Of course, a minimum of astronomical skills is required: a 60-centimetre telescope is not as easy to handle as that. Applications are sent to a program committee, made up of professionals and amateurs, which, three times a year, allocates observation slots for a 4-month period. The mission must have an educational, technical or scientific connotation, or all three at the same time! Even a modest project has every chance of being accepted as long as it is formulated with clear objectives. Observation programs that are followed up by groups of amateurs or in collaboration with professionals are of course appreciated, but you can perfectly well set up a project within your club on a topical subject, for example.
Today
Since December 2021, the T60 has taken a well-deserved retirement. It has been replaced by a T50 CDK, planeview and Alcor System mount, financed by the European TESS school, OMP and IRAP. Fully automated, the new telescope continues to be managed by the T60 association, but much of the observing time is devoted to university training (Master astro de Toulouse, et d’ailleurs et Licence Physique Chimie Astronomie Météorologie et Energies de l’UT3, Campus de Tarbes).
Method and operation of the installation
The T50 operation is managed by the T60 Association www.astrosurf.com
To find out more about the history of the T60 (in French), To join the T60 Association and benefit from Operation T60, To find out more about how to apply for observation time,
Laboratories and partners involved
Depending on which amateurs are observing at the T60, researchers are involved on a case-by-case basis.Depuis décembre 2021, le T60 a pris une retraite bien méritée. Il a été remplacé par un T50 CDK, planeview et une monture Alcor System, financé par l’école européenne TESS, l’OMP et l’IRAP. Complètement automatisé ce nouveau télescope continue d’être géré par l’association T60, mais une bonne part du temps d’observation est dévolu à la formation universitaire (Master astro de Toulouse, et d’ailleurs et Licence Physique Chimie Astronomie Météorologie et Energies de l’UT3, Campus de Tarbes).