Texas A&M's astronomy observatory recently was ranked third in the nation among college facilities, beating out scores of more established and older teaching programs.

Earlier this month, Michigan-based CollegeRank.net released a survey of the 25 Best College Astronomy Observatories, naming the U.S. Naval Academy's Observatory in Maryland as No. 1 followed by Hawaii-based Keck Observatory, jointly operated by Cal Tech and the University of California. College Rank describes itself as cutting through the "noise" of online college-related information by showcasing what different universities offer in hopes of giving prospective students a better understanding of options.

The 11-year-old observatory off Fishtank Road on the west side of Easterwood Airport has become a premier teaching institute under the leadership of Don Carona, who designed and monitored the construction of the upgraded facility.

"As I understand the premise, the observatories were selected based first on their devotion to astronomy teaching, outreach and/or research and second on their architectural uniqueness compared to other facilities," said Carona, who blends his IT expertise with his current job. The 37-acre tract has a 60-seat classroom, one 16-inch telescope housed under an 18-foot hydraulically operated dome, a robotic observatory with a 20-inch telescope that can be controlled remotely over the Internet, and a student observation deck that can support 16 telescope piers for 8-inch telescopes.

Carona, who has served as the only manager of the Physics and Astronomy Teaching Observatory, is credited by the head of A&M's astronomy department, Nicholas B. Suntzeff, as being responsible for other programs across the United States copying what's been built in College Station, including his efforts to host "star" parties for the community.

"In an effort to both attract and educate the world's best physicists, astronomers and others, a number of universities across the country have devoted significant time and effort to creating stunning observatories," CollegeRank.net states in its article. "Designed to combine the classic observatory with decidedly 21st-century design and cutting-edge technology, these facilities are helping to create an entirely new generation of leading astronomers looking to the heavens for new theories, confirmation of older theories, and experiences that will define human interaction with space for decades to come."

The article describes Aggieland's only observatory as being "rather small," but in the spotlight for being a connected, high-tech center of astronomical research, featuring full, gigabyte Internet connectivity and relying on powerful computers that can conduct complex processing of recorded imagines and radio sounds, making it more able to easily detect new stars or planetary bodies.

A&M's astronomy researchers also use telescopes from the Carnegie Institution for Science, European Southern Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope and others.

To see all 25 observatories ranked, go to http://www.collegerank.net/amazing-college-observatories

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Texas A&M astronomy observatory ranked 3rd in nation