A New Planetary Telescope Concept

Details A New Planetary Telescope Concept A New Planetary Telescope Concept

Dec 1999

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999baas...31.1591j&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS Meeting #31, late abstracts, #59.43; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 31,

Physics

Optics

Scientific paper

The NASA IRTF is arguably the only ground-based telescope in the world dedicated to planetary astronomy. Two decades of improvement in infrared array technology, adaptive optics, and large mirror fabrication techniques now make it imperative that the future needs of NASA's Planetary Astronomy program be considered in the context of the capabilities now possible for a modern telescope. In response to a suggestion from NASA Headquarters we have developed an innovative telescope concept which provides unique and unsurpassed scientific capabilities to the planetary community. We call this facility the New Planetary Telescope (NPT). We have assumed that the main objectives for the NPT are studies of Kuiper Belt Objects, Near-Earth Objects, studies of circumstellar disks and extra-solar planets, and ground-based support for NASA flight missions. These diverse scientific objectives require capabilities ranging over wide-field imaging, high angular resolution, high sensitivity in the optical and thermal infrared, and superb photometric dynamic range. This study shows that it is possible to achieve all of these performance requirements using a 6.5m unobstructed, off-axis telescope. This concept has compelling natural advantages for adaptive optics, coronagraphic astronomical imaging, and thermal infrared imaging. Unique features of the NPT include wide-field imaging capability, with a field-of-view of at least two degrees, optimization for unprecedented low scattered light and high dynamic range astronomy, extremely low infrared emissivity, and innovative instruments uniquely designed to take full advantage of these capabilities. This telescope concept breaks new ground in telescope technology, and it is therefore an ideal technical development project for NASA. NASA is currently at the forefront of development in interferometry using the Keck telescopes. The NPT complements and enhances this program since it provides an important baseline to add to those already planned on Mauna Kea. Moreover, the NPT is the ideal telescope for a full-fledged optical/infrared array of interferometric telescopes.

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