Illinois Wesleyan Observatory Earns Certification

Illinois Wesleyan University's observatory is now certified by Minor Planet Center at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

The school said Monday that three physics students worked to get the school's Mark Evans Observatory the designation. It means the Bloomington observatory is now an official observing site. The Minor Planet Center operates under the International Astronomical Union. It is considered a worldwide location for the study of minor planets, comets and other bodies.

Data collected at Illinois Wesleyan will be included in the center's database so other scientists can use it.

School officials say the students also installed a new telescope and camera at the observatory.