Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope (original) (raw)
The Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope at La Silla was built and is operated by the Geneva Observatory, Université de Genève (Switzerland) and named in honour of the famous Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler (1707–83). It is used in conjunction with the CORALIE spectrograph to conduct high precision radial velocity measurements principally to search for large exoplanets in the southern celestial hemisphere. Its first success was the discovery of a planet in orbit around the star Gliese 86 (eso9855). Other observing programmes focus on variable stars, astroseismology, the follow-up of gamma-ray bursts, monitoring of active galactic nuclei and gravitational lenses.
The CORALIE spectrograph, which began operations in June 1998, was developed through a collaboration between the Geneva Observatory and the Haute Provence Observatory (OHP) in France. It is an improved version of the ELODIE spectrograph now in operation at OHP, and with which the first exoplanet was found around the star 51 Pegasi, in 1995. CORALIE is so accurate that it can measure the motion of a star with a precision better than 7 m/s or 25 km/hour, which is about the speed of a very fast human runner!
Science goals
Search for exoplanets; asteroseismology; GRB follow-up
Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope
| Name: | Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope |
|---|---|
| Site: | La Silla |
| Altitude: | 2375 m |
| Enclosure: | Classical dome |
| Type: | Optical telescope |
| Optical design: | Ritchey-Chrétien reflector |
| Diameter. Primary M1: | 1.20 m |
| Material. Primary M1: | ZeroDur |
| Diameter. Secondary M2: | 0.30 m |
| Material. Secondary M2: | ZeroDur |
| Diameter. Tertiary M3: | 0.24 X 0.17 m (flat elliptical) |
| Mount: | Alt-Azimuth fork mount |
| First Light date: | 12 April 1998 |
| Images taken with the Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope: | Link |
| Images of the Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope: | Link |
| Videos of the Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope: | Link |
| Press releases with the Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope: | Link |