BOMBOLO: A 3-arms optical imager for SOAR Observatory (original) (raw)
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The SOAR optical imager: status and first results
Ground-based Instrumentation for Astronomy, 2004
We briefly describe the SOAR Optical Imager (SOI), the first light instrument for the 4.1m SOuthern Astronomical Research (SOAR) telescope now being commissioned on Cerro Pachón in the mountains of northern Chile. The SOI has a mini-mosaic of 2 2kx4k CCDs at its focal plane, a focal reducer camera, two filter cartridges, and a linear ADC. The instrument was designed to produce precision photometry and to fully exploit the expected superb image quality of the SOAR telescope over a 5.5x5.5 arcmin² field with high throughput down to the atmospheric cutoff , and close reproduction of photometric pass-bands throughout 310-1050 nm. During early engineering runs in April 2004, we used the SOI to take images as part of the test program for the actively controlled primary mirror of the SOAR telescope, one of which we show in this paper. Taken just three months after the arrival of the optics in Chile, we show that the stellar images have the same diameter of 0.74" as the simultaneously measured seeing disk at the time of observation. We call our image "Engineering 1 st Light" and in the near future expect to be able to produce images with diameters down to 0.3" in the R band over a 5.5' field during about 20% of the observing time, using the tip-tilt adaptive corrector we are implementing.
SOAR Telescope Project: a four-meter telescope focused on image quality
Advanced Technology Optical/IR Telescopes VI, 1998
Introduction: In the era of 10-meter class optical telescopes, 4-meter apertures still have their strengths. Key among these are: (1) they collect enough light to pursue efficiently many long-term synoptic programs that follow time-variable phenomena. (2) Their image quality can be optimized at tractable cost to maximize the efficiency of background limited imaging and spectroscopy. (3) They can provide a constantly resident suite of well-calibrated, comparatively inexpensive and therefore program-optimized instruments that can be brought quickly to bear on targets of opportunity or those in (1) & (2). Science enabled by the first capability might be spectrophotometry of Cepheid stars in other galaxies or matter transfer in compact binaries. Microlensing by sub-solar masses (including planetary mass) binary companions represents the third class, as do spectral studies of distant supernovae that have been detected with automated photometric surveys. Background limited observations become competitive if the telescope minimally degrades the image quality at an excellent site. A 4-meter with 0.″33 images is just as efficient as a 6.5-meter with 0.″5 images. Hence there is a strong scientific case for development of very high quality 4-meter class telescopes at superb sites. SOAR is one such effort. Background: Initiated by the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill in 1990, the SOAR Telescope Project is now a collaboration between UNC, Brazil, Michigan State University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO). Funded at a level of $28 million, the objectives are to design, construct, and commission a 4-meter optical/IR telescope within 4 years, at Cerro Pachon in Chile. The telescope is to be operated by the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory (CTIO). US astronomers will receive 30% of the time through NOAO in exchange for this support. Instruments will be provided by partner institutions. Extensive comparison of competing optical designs for SOAR over the past year have resulted in a decision to optimize encircled energy to address the broad scientific objectives of the partnership. A Ritchey-Chretien design has been chosen with extremely challenging specifications. Low-scatter optics and careful attention to baffling, coatings, and other aspects of system design will minimize stray light. Tip/tilt image stabilization will be integrated fully into the telescope. A Project Office has been established at NOAO, and concept design work is underway in response to established scientific and technical requirements. Contracts for concept development of the SOAR facility, an active optical system, the telescope mount, and for initial leveling of the site have been let. Official groundbreaking ceremonies will be held in 4/98. Scope: The SOAR Project includes development of the Cerro Pachon site, a rocky promontory approximately 0.4 km northeast of the Gemini site. A compact facility will be constructed, including space for instrument and telescope maintenance. The telescope will feature an active optical system that includes a figure-controlled primary mirror (M1), an actively aligned secondary (M2), fast tip/tilt image stabilization at M2 or the tertiary mirror (M3), an optimization wave-front sensor, and control electronics and software. The telescope mount, to be developed and tested at the manufacturer's facility, will include support flanges for Nasmyth and bent-Cassegrain instruments. Initial instrumentation, under consideration as part of the telescope project, includes a 6×4.5K CCD mosaic camera, an IR mosaic camera, bore-sight optical and λλ1−5 µm IR stellar spectrometers, and a moderate-field (up to 19 arc min-diameter) multi-object optical spectrometer (MOS.) The SOAR Project Team, CTIO, the core Operations Team, and the subsystem manufacturers will support integration, debug, and commissioning. A key goal will be to minimize the duration hence costs of the integration period. First light is planned for the end of 2001.
High-Resolution Imaging at the SOAR Telescope High-Resolution Imaging at the SOAR Telescope
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about ABSTRACT. Bright single and binary stars were observed at the 4.1 m telescope with a fast electron-multiplication camera in the regime of partial turbulence correction by the visible-light adaptive optics system. We compare the angular resolution achieved by simple averaging of AO-corrected images (long-exposure), selection and recentering (shift-and-add or " lucky " imaging), and speckle interferometry. The effect of partial AO correction, vibrations, and image postprocessing on the attained resolution is shown. Potential usefulness of these techniques is evaluated for reaching the diffraction limit in ground-based optical imaging. Measurements of 75 binary stars obtained during these tests are given and objects of special interest are discussed. We report tentative resolution of the astrometric companion to ζ Aqr B. A concept of advanced high-resolution camera is outlined.
The SOAR optical imager: status and first results
SPIE Proceedings, 2004
We briefly describe the SOAR Optical Imager (SOI), the first light instrument for the 4.1m SOuthern Astronomical Research (SOAR) telescope now being commissioned on Cerro Pachón in the mountains of northern Chile. The SOI has a mini-mosaic of 2 2kx4k CCDs at its focal plane, a focal reducer camera, two filter cartridges, and a linear ADC. The instrument was designed to produce precision photometry and to fully exploit the expected superb image quality of the SOAR telescope over a 5.5x5.5 arcmin² field with high throughput down to the atmospheric cutoff , and close reproduction of photometric pass-bands throughout 310-1050 nm. During early engineering runs in April 2004, we used the SOI to take images as part of the test program for the actively controlled primary mirror of the SOAR telescope, one of which we show in this paper. Taken just three months after the arrival of the optics in Chile, we show that the stellar images have the same diameter of 0.74" as the simultaneously measured seeing disk at the time of observation. We call our image "Engineering 1 st Light" and in the near future expect to be able to produce images with diameters down to 0.3" in the R band over a 5.5' field during about 20% of the observing time, using the tip-tilt adaptive corrector we are implementing.
ANUBIS - A Probe-Class UVO Space Observatory (AstroNomical Uv proBe Imager & Spectrograph)
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 2019
We propose a next generation Probe-class UV-optical (UVO) observatory called ANUBIS that is capable of conducting wide-field imaging and far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectroscopic surveys to address critical topics in modern astrophysics and planetary science. High-resolution, wide-field UVO imaging surveys combined with time domain coverage will examine the formation and survival of star and planet forming environments, map motions and evolution of dynamic environments such as jets and accretion flows, and identify sources of ionizing radiation across the low-redshift universe-all providing a vital complement to NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). FUV spectroscopy with the wavelength coverage and spectral resolution necessary to reach and resolve the forest of diagnostic emission and absorption lines necessary to 1) study the interface between galaxies and the intergalactic medium (IGM), 2) probe the structure and dynamics of the interstellar medium (ISM) in all its phases (locally and in extragalactic systems), 3) characterize the environment around protostellar systems and the conditions within which new planets form, 4) constrain the star-planet interaction in more mature systems, and 5) observe upper-atmospheric processes in solar system targets. ANUBIS combines a true discovery survey camera with orders of magnitude better AΩ than the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and larger collecting area and higher resolution (spatial=30 mas per pixel; spectral=30,000) than GALEX. The concept leverages modern advances in UVO mirror coating and detector technologies to maximize its scientific impact within the specified Probe-class price point range. The baseline ANUBIS design combines a wide-field UVO imager with a FUV spectrograph fed by a 1.5 meter telescope. We will explore the option of a public-private partnership to allow additional instrumentation and possibly a larger aperture that could enhance the scientific return while limiting costs to NASA. We seek to build on the legacy of HST, while complementing the new capabilities provided by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and WFIRST.
Astrometric Imaging Telescope optical system
Advanced Technology Optical Telescopes V, 1994
M/s 306-431 4800 Oiili Grove l)rivc Pasachm,CA 91109 C. Ftaclas and A. Nonncn]nachcr IIt]g}lcs-IJarll)l]ry Optical SystclIm hi/S 813 100 Wooster IIcigl]ts l)anhuryl Cl' 06810 G. 1). C;atewood Allegheny Olmrvatory (J. of l'ittsl>urg]] Olxmrvatc,ty Station l>ittsl,urgll, I'A 15214 K. 11. IJc!vy l,ullar slid l'lalletary l,al)oratory U. of Arizorm ']hCSOll, AZ 85721 Al\ S'1'ILACl "1'hc Ast,ro]nct,ric IItiaging "1'elcscopc will detect extra-solar plmletary syste~ns with il]]agirlg aIId a.$troli]ctry. '1'hc optical systc]n contains a high-cfhcicrlcy coro]lagra])h slid scatter-collll)cllsated ]I]irrors to detect Jul]itcr-sim planets arou]ld ncxwby stars. '1'he optical systelll also is distortio]l free, tolerant to rnisalign]]lcllts, and tolerant to optical surface contarnillation. '1'llis allows for tllc astro[netric ljrccisicJ1l to detect Uranus-]llaw },lancts. A focal plane guidm and fil]c guiclance smlsor arc other clelllc]lts of tl]c ol)tical dmig]l. 1. lNTl{,OI>UC~'10N. .~' he Astrol]lctric l~nagirlg '1'clcwcopc (Al"]') is a l,lan]led space-based olnmrvatory designed to detect and study })lanetary systelns and circu~nstcl]ar lnat,crial arollnd IIu]ldrcxls of ]Iearl)y stars. '1'llc telescope ]jrovides light to two instru~ne~lts Lllat serially sllarc the focal pl:ulc. '1']Ic C)lltica] '1'C'IC!SCOI)C Assmnl)ly (() '1 'A) and c?]mncnts of the Attitude Contro] Systmn (AC;S) ancl Scicrlce IIlstru[llents, cotlllJrisc tllc ol)tical syste]ll. 'J'he orl'A consists of a ltitclley-C;llrdtiell telescope, baf[lcs, structural clclllcwts, and an optical bcvich. '1'hc strut.turc is a 3-tier, 1 &t)ipod, gral)llite epoxy lncteril[g truss. It su}l]>orts the j)ri]llary and secondary mirrors and maintains their aliglltnent. '1'here arc 4 rings i~lcluding tile titalliuln lIlain ring that holcls the prilnary. Figure 1 SIIOWS the Orl'A. '1'hc telescope has a zero-distortion optical clcwig]l and the tnirror surfaces arc figured to provide a high level clf scatter Colnpcnsation over the central 5 arcsc-c of tile ficlcl of view. '1'al)le 1 shows tile Al']' optics clcsigll paratllctcm.. '1'hc two Sc.icncc lmtrul[lcnts usc co][lj)le]limlt.ary tec.}llliques of ilnagi~ig and astromctry to detect and study planetary systems. '1'he first instrument, the Circurllstellar ]Inager (Cl), contains a high-cflic.icl]cy coronagra])h that reduc.cs diffracted ligl]t fro]n a ce]ltral star hy more than a factor of 1000. '1'his, togetllcr with reduced scattering optics, allows direct i]naging of Jupiter-size planets around rlearby stars. The second instrummt, tile Astrotnc%ric llnagcr (Al), ]nakcs accurate ~[leasurcrl]c]lts of the cc]]troids of target stars and rcfercmce s~ars in
2011
The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) is a unique telescope featuring two co-mounted optical trains with 8.4m primary mirrors. The telescope Adaptive Optics (AO) system uses two innovative key components, namely an adaptive secondary mirror with 672 actuators and a high-order pyramid wave-front sensor. During the on-sky commissioning such a system reached performances never achieved before on large ground-based optical telescopes. Images with 40mas resolution and Strehl Ratios higher than 80% have been acquired in H band (1.6 μm). Such images showed a contrast as high as 10-4. Based on these results, we compare the performances offered by a Natural Guide Star (NGS) system upgraded with the state-of-the-art technology and those delivered by existing Laser Guide Star (LGS) systems. The comparison, in terms of sky coverage and performances, suggests rethinking the current role ascribed to NGS and LGS in the next generation of AO systems for the 8-10 meter class telescopes and Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs).
High-Resolution Imaging at the SOAR Telescope
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2010
Bright single and binary stars were observed at the 4.1-m telescope with a fast electronmultiplication camera in the regime of partial turbulence correction by the visible-light adaptive optics system. We compare the angular resolution achieved by simple averaging of AO-corrected images (long-exposure), selection and re-centering (shift-and-add or "lucky" imaging) and speckle interferometry. The effect of partial AO correction, vibrations, and image post-processing on the attained resolution is shown. Potential usefulness of these techniques is evaluated for reaching the diffraction limit in ground-based optical imaging. Measurements of 75 binary stars obtained during these tests are given and objects of special interest are discussed. We report tentative resolution of the astrometric companion to ζ Aqr B. A concept of advanced high-resolution camera is outlined.
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2014
ABSTRACT The Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) is the 4-metre wide-field survey telescope at ESO's Paranal Observatory, equipped with the world's largest near-infrared imaging camera (VISTA IR Camera, VIRCAM), with 1.65 degree diameter field of view, and 67 Mpixels giving 0.6 square degrees active pixel area, operating at wavelengths 0.8 - 2.3 microns. We provide a short history of the project, and an overview of the technical details of the full system including the optical design, mirrors, telescope structure, IR camera, active optics, enclosure and software. The system includes several innovative design features such as the f/1 primary mirror, the cold-baffle camera design and the sophisticated wavefront sensing system delivering closed-loop 5-axis alignment of the secondary mirror. We conclude with a summary of the delivered performance, and a short overview of the six ESO public surveys in progress on VISTA.
PUCHEROS: a cost-effective solution for high-resolution spectroscopy with small telescopes
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2012
We present PUCHEROS, the high-resolution echelle spectrograph, developed at the Center of Astro-Engineering of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile to provide an effective tool for research and teaching of astronomy. The instrument is fed by a single-channel optical fibre and it covers the visible range from 390 to 730 nm in one shot, reaching a spectral resolution of about 20 000. In the era of extremely large telescopes our instrument aims to exploit the capabilities offered by small telescopes in a cost-effective way, covering the observing needs of a community of astronomers, in Chile and elsewhere, which do not necessarily need large collecting areas for their research. In particular the instrument is well suited for long-term spectroscopic monitoring of bright variable and transient targets down to a V magnitude of about 10. We describe the instrument and present a number of text case examples of observations obtained during commissioning and early science.