The 50-cm Telescope for Public Outreach is an optical telescope constructed at NAOJ Mitaka Campus in 1994. Among NAOJ’s telescopes, it is unusual in that it is mainly used for public stargazing parties. Using this telescope, we have held regular stargazing parties since April 1996. Participants can see highlights of the night sky of each season, such as the Moon, planets, and double stars which are easy to observe in Tokyo’s bright night sky. In addition to stargazing parties, it is used for astrophotography, live streaming astronomical images on the internet, and astronomy outreach. This telescope is also used to conduct observations for astronomy research, mainly on Solar System objects such as comets and asteroids, and to give students hands-on experience observing with a telescope. It contributes to the advancement of astronomy thanks to its ability to conduct observations more easily and quickly than large telescopes.
