The Kitt Peak 2.1-meter Telescope: An Unusually Innovative Telescope

Details The Kitt Peak 2.1-meter Telescope: An Unusually Innovative Telescope The Kitt Peak 2.1-meter Telescope: An Unusually Innovative Telescope

Jan 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009aas...21320008a&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #213, #200.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 41, p.187

Physics

Optics

Scientific paper

The 2.1-meter telescope (1964) had the following innovations: (1) an unusually fast f/2.6 primary and f/8 Cassegrain focus that allowed for a small cheaper dome, (2) Ritchey-Chretien coma-free optics, (3) a Pyrex mirror made with the slumping process that was ground and polished in 1.5 years, (4) a flip-top secondary allowing 5-minute conversion between Cassegrain and coude foci, and (5) fast high-resolution spectrographs. Those features led to the discovery of the Lyman-alpha forest, the first gravitational lens, the first pulsating white dwarf, and the realization that most solar-like stars have companions. Such discoveries were possible because of (1) fast high-resolution equipment, (2) competitive time scheduling, and (3) relatively long observing runs that allowed for experimentation.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The Kitt Peak 2.1-meter Telescope: An Unusually Innovative Telescope does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The Kitt Peak 2.1-meter Telescope: An Unusually Innovative Telescope, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Kitt Peak 2.1-meter Telescope: An Unusually Innovative Telescope will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1696326