The refurbished 1.3-m Robotically Controlled Telescope at Kitt Peak

Details The refurbished 1.3-m Robotically Controlled Telescope at Kitt Peak The refurbished 1.3-m Robotically Controlled Telescope at Kitt Peak

May 2003

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003aas...202.4704g&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society Meeting 202, #47.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 35, p.766

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

In 1999, the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO) announced the opportunity to "assume responsibility for operation of the Kitt Peak 1.3-m telescope." A group of astronomers/educators from institutions across the USA successfully proposed to refurbish and automate the observatory and operate it as the Robotically Controlled Telescope (RCT). The RCT Consortium has been established between Francis Marion University, the Planetary Science Institute, South Carolina State University, Villanova University, and Western Kentucky University to oversee the refurbishment and automation, and operate the telescope to successfully achieve its research and education goals.
The RCT was commissioned in 1964 as the Remotely Controlled Telescope and utilized that epoch's computing and communication technology to provide unattended operation from NOAO headquarters in Tucson, about 90 km distant. The original incarnation of the RCT allowed astronomers to gain experience in the remote operation of observatories in order to both develop techniques for operating space-based telescopes and to increase the productivity of ground-based telescopes (Maran 1967 Science 158, 867). While these tests worked as well as could be expected given the technology of the time, the telescope and observatory were refitted in 1969 for classical, attended operations. The second life of the 1.3-m was as a heavily subscribed KPNO visitor facility, first with photoelectric photometers and later as an important testbed for the newest infrared instrumentation. In 1996 the telescope was removed from the list of available KPNO facilities and stood idle until the RCT Consortium hired EOS Technologies, Inc. to refurbish and automate the observatory. In winter 2003 most of the observatory systems have been refurbished and the commissioning has begun.
Refurbishment of the RCT has been made possible by NASA grant NAG58762.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The refurbished 1.3-m Robotically Controlled Telescope at Kitt Peak 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 refurbished 1.3-m Robotically Controlled Telescope at Kitt Peak, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The refurbished 1.3-m Robotically Controlled Telescope at Kitt Peak will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1369239