Other than putting the new optical observatory into space, one of the important factors to consider is the location of an optical observatory on earth. The location should be chosen carefully. If the new optical observatory is located in a wrong place, it may not give adequate information about what is taking place in the space. One of the factors to consider when deciding the space is that the optical observatory should be located at higher altitude. Locating the equipment at a higher altitude will ensure that it captures and deliver most. In addition, low altitude is not suitable because of interference from smog, dust and other atmospheric particles that are mainly located at lower altitude. This is why most astronomers build optical equipment at the top of the mountains (Gregersen, 2010).
The second factor is that the place to locate the optical observatory equipment should on an average have a clear sky. This is because the equipment functions by receiving and recording light waves from the outer space. Consequently, if the place is covered by clouds, the equipment may not record anything (Bely, 2003).
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The third factor to consider is that the atmosphere around the place should be free from pollution and should have dry air. This factor supports the first factor, which states that the place should be located at higher altitude in the sense that higher altitude, in most cases, is least polluted and have dry air. Low altitude has higher moisture and is mainly polluted.
The last factor is that the optical observatory equipment should be located in a place that is free from light pollution. Light pollution can affect the integrity and the performance of the equipment. It causes background count of photons because of the non-stellar light sources. The place should, therefore, have a clear view of the sky.
References
Bely, P.-Y. (2003). The design and construction of large optical telescopes . New York: Springer.
Gregersen, E. (2010). Astronomical observations: Astronomy and the study of deep space . New York, NY: Britannica Educational Pub. in association with Rosen Education Services.
