Editing Oak Ridge Observatory (section)

== Description ==

The observatory was established in 1933. Through its first 40 years, its primary research focus was on tracking [[minor planet]]s and [[asteroid]]s in the [[Solar System]]. Starting in the 1980s, astronomers began to use the facility to measure stars over long periods of time, which led to hunts for [[extrasolar planet]]s.

The largest [[telescope]] east of [[Texas]] in the [[United States]] is the 61-inch reflector ''(see [[Hobby-Eberly Telescope]])''. However, most of its projects were discontinued in 2005. [[Harvard University]]'s [[Optical SETI]] program continues at the site.

It also housed an {{convert|84|ft|m|adj=on}} steerable [[radio telescope]] once used in Project BETA, a search for [[extraterrestrial intelligence]].  A 41-cm (16-inch) [[Boller and Chivens]] [[Cassegrain reflector]] originally housed at Oak Ridge is available for public use at the [[National Air and Space Museum]]'s Public Observatory Project on the [[National Mall]] in Washington, DC.<ref>[http://blog.nasm.si.edu/2009/03/29/international-year-of-astronomy-public-observatory-project-at-the-national-air-and-space-museum NASM AirSpace Blog, March 29, 2009.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731065403/http://blog.nasm.si.edu/2009/03/29/international-year-of-astronomy-public-observatory-project-at-the-national-air-and-space-museum/ |date=July 31, 2009 }} and [http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/POPobservatory.cfm NASM Public Observatory Project] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222061545/http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/POPobservatory.cfm |date=2010-02-22 }}</ref>

The inner [[main-belt]] asteroid [[4733 ORO]], discovered at Oak Ridge in 1982, was named in honor of the observatory.<ref name="springer" />