the kpno 4m “mayall” telescope arjun dey (noao). national optical astronomy observatory mission:...
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The KPNO 4m “Mayall” Telescope
Arjun Dey (NOAO)
National Optical Astronomy Observatory
Mission: • provide the best ground-based astronomical
capabilities to ALL astronomers • promote public understanding and support of science • help advance all aspects of US astronomy
Peer-review access to current OIR facilities:• KPNO, CTIO, Gemini Observatory• Keck, Magellan, MMT, HET
New Initiatives (future facilities):• Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (NEO, SNe,etc.) • Extremely Large Telescopes (e.g., GSMT)
Arjun Dey
NOAO and its users
• NOAO is run by AURA under cooperative agreement with the NSF
• Peer-review merit-based access to all astronomers
• Open skies policy
• Community of users is very diverse (few night runs to surveys to large experiments)
• Current NSF context is the ReSTAR Report, but Decadal Survey can help here
Arjun Dey
Kitt Peak National Observatory
Arjun Dey
Kitt Peak National Observatory
• Founded 1958• Mayall 4m (1973)• WIYN 3.5m (1994)• 2.1m (1964) & many
smaller telescopes
Summit 6875ft
Arjun Dey
The Mayall
Ritchey-Chretien design Clear aperture of primary = 3.797mTwo secondaries: f/7.8 and f/15Prime focus corrector option (currently MOSAIC
camera)Primary has active support
Aging instrument complement – needs something new!New design options can result in >3 degree field
http://www-kpno.kpno.noao.edu/kpno-misc/mayall_params.html
Arjun Dey
The Mayall
• Telescope control system is old, but functional, and under computer control
• 4MAPS 33-pt active mirror support system• Dome has had some seeing improvements
done during the last decade• Control room near telescope (should probably
be moved)• All observing is done “classically”, with
observers at summit with telescope operator (but instruments have been run remotely from Tucson)
The Mayall in Context
Arjun DeyAbout 10% of public access time now; less in future
Kitt Peak Weather Statistics
Arjun Dey
Kitt Peak Weather StatisticsCrawford 1983
Need to analyze more recent data –In progress! (But little has changed)
Arjun Dey
Kitt Peak Weather Statistics
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?azkitt
Seeing at the WIYN Telescope(same mountain, modern telescope)
Aug 2004 – Apr 2006
Arjun Dey
Seeing at the Mayall
Massey et al. 1999
Arjun Dey
September 07, 2007 KPNO Weekly Project Meeting 14
Kitt Peak Site Monitoring Suite
• Initial Instrument suite
– Differential image motion monitor (DIMM)
– KPNO All Sky Camera (KASCA)
– Weather stations (WS, WD, RH, T, P)
• Data
– Real time web page
– Data archive(s)
• Match CTIO system
From Bob Blum
KPNO Weekly Project Meeting 15September 07, 2007
Kitt Peak Site Monitoring Suite• DIMM– 10'' Meade LX200
– ST5 SBIG CCD
– Two 9 cm pupil apertures, 15 cm apart
– Image motion: achromatic, no filters
– Almost operational …
From Bob Blum
KPNO Weekly Project Meeting 16September 07, 2007
Kitt Peak Site Monitoring Suite• KASCA– Nikon fisheye
– SBIG CCD
– Blue, Red, Na filters
– Web server
– Image database
– Admin roof
From Bob Blum
Prime Focus Option 1Designs by Ming Liang (NOAO)
Arjun Dey
Prime Focus Option 3Designs by Ming Liang (NOAO)
Arjun Dey