BBSO Operation Overview

Under normal conditions BBSO conducts solar observations every day between 9am and 3pm. The "prime" observing season, when the "seeing" conditions (condition of the earth atmosphere) are best, lasts between mid May and mid September. Of course, the nature might interfere and the dates might be modified. During the fall-spring period we perform observations as well, weather permitting, but the priority is given to telescope maintenance, instrument development and testing, as well as observations in the near infra-red range of the solar spectrum, which do not require exclusive seeing quality.

The "prime" observing season, when the "seeing" conditions are best, lasts between mid May and mid September. To request observing time at GST, please, submit your proposal via on online form. The GST Time Allocation Committee (TAC) will consider your request and will inform you on the outcome. Please, be as specific as possible when describing observing strategy, especially when multiple targets are requested. For example, when requesting disk center and polar coronal hole observations, specify target order, length of time at each target, as well as the target priority in case that one target may not be available.

At least once a day, BBSO issues Solar Activity Reports, which are a survey of active regions. When warranted, BBSO also issues a BBSO Solar Warning statement forecasting rapid development and/or energetic solar flares in individual sunspot groups. This program was initiated November 24th, 1998. In addition to being posted on our web page, the warnings are sent via electronic mail. Requests for subscription should be sent to "activity" at "bbso.njit.edu". Additional information about the Activity Reports can be found here.

BBSO is part of the NJIT's Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR), which also is a key component of the NJIT's Institute for Space Weather Sciences (ISWS). Apart from local BBSO seminars given by scientist visiting BBSO, ISWS organizes open virtual colloquiums when both NJIT and non-NJIT participants have an opportunity to learn recent developments in various areas of solar physics. If you are willing to give a talk please contact Dr. Elena Moise.

BBSO collaborates with various US and foreign institutions. The collaborations is mostly focused on research project and instrument development. Thus BBSO closely collaborates with the National Solar Observatory (NSO ) in developing and testing of solar instrumentation, such as adaptive optics systems. We also host NSO instruments such as a Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG ) station, and SOLIS  facility.

We are also engaged in a long standing collaborative effort with Seoul National University  and Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute . The collaboration includes scientific research and instruments development. Thus, SNU and KASI have developed Fast-Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) that currently operates at BBSO. We also collaborate on the new WHISPER instrument. .

Our 12 resident-member (team) consists of observers, engineers, office manager, and scientists, who make sure that solar high quality solar data are collected and promptly made available to the world-wide solar community. Together with other staff members residing in Newark, NJ, we analyze the collected data and publish our findings in scientific journals.

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BBSO operation is supported by US NSF AGS-2309939 grant and New Jersey Institute of Technology. GST operation is partly supported by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute and the Seoul National University.
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© BBSO/NJIT - Last modified: January 27, 2025 by Vasyl Yurchyshyn