Google Earth Community: Big Bear Solar Observatory

Here's a timely placemark, the Big Bear Solar Observatory, at

40386 North Shore Lane,
Big Bear City,
CA 92314-9672

From Caltech Astronomy :

"The Big Bear Solar Observatory ( BBSO ) is 160 km E of Pasadena at an elevation of 6700 ft. in the middle of Big Bear Lake. Since July 1997, the Observatory has been managed by the New Jersey Institute of Technology for the benefit of a consortium of universities, including Caltech. The facility is located in water to avoid the disturbance of images by convection from ground heating. As a result it is the world's premier site for observing the Sun. It carries out one of the most extensive observing programs of any solar observatory; the optical observations at BBSO are supplemented by radio observations with a frequency-agile solar imaging array at OVRO.

The observatory operates a series of solar telescopes which image the whole Sun and selected areas which are highly magnified. It operates two videomagnetographs which measure Stokes parameters and magnetic fields in real time by digital image processing. These permit highly sensitive measurements of solar magnetic fields and their time dependence. Other programs are focussed on the extremely high resolution observations of the time development of solar phenomena, especially sunspots, flares, and prominences, which may be observed because of its unique location in the lake. BBSO has a wide assortment of monochromatic filters which permit imaging selected parts of the solar atmosphere. The data obtained is studied by a group in Pasadena.

The magnetograph can also be used in a Doppler mode for real-time two-dimensional Doppler imaging, which gives fascinating results on velocities in sunspots and active regions. A 1024x1024 CCD is used for high-resolution continuum observations in the visible, the blue, and near ultraviolet, and, through a special narrow-band birefringent filter, in the infra-red helium line 10830.

Computerized image processing is used to produce very high-resolution solar movies which enable us to track very weak flows, granule evolution, and other important phenomena. We have had considerable success with this method in measuring flows and flares and sunspot changes."

Currently the BBSO site seems to down.

This could be one of several things:

1) Fire related gremlins
2) Solar Activity flash crowds ( X17.2 flare !)
3) Me breaking things at my end

etc.

Enjoy.

Cheers,
--dryline