The Hobby-Eberly Telescope: Commissioning experience and observing plans

被引：8

作者：

Glaspey, JW ^{[1
]}

Adams, MT ^{[1
]}

Booth, JA ^{[1
]}

Cornell, ME ^{[1
]}

Fowler, JR ^{[1
]}

Krabbendam, VL ^{[1
]}

Ramsey, LW ^{[1
]}

Ray, FB ^{[1
]}

Ricklefs, RL ^{[1
]}

Spiesman, WJ ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] Univ Texas, Mcdonald Observ, Ft Davis, TX 79734 USA

来源：

OBSERVATORY OPERATIONS TO OPTIMIZE SCIENTIFIC RETURN | 1998年 / 3349卷

关键词：

Hobby-Eberly Telescope; large telescopes; segmented mirrors;

D O I：

10.1117/12.316520

中图分类号：

P1 [天文学];

学科分类号：

0704 ;

摘要：

Experience in bringing into operation the 91-segment primary mirror alignment and control system, the focal plane tracker system, and other critical subsystems of the HET will be described. Particular attention is given to the tracker, which utilizes three linear and three rotational degrees of freedom to follow sidereal targets. Coarse time-dependent functions for each axis are downloaded to autonomous PMAC controllers that provide the precise motion drives to the two linear stages and the hexapod system. Experience gained in aligning the separate mirrors and then maintaining image quality in a variable thermal environment will also be described. Because of the fixed elevation of the primary optical axis, only a limited amount of time is available for observing objects in the 12 degrees wide observing band. With a small core HET team working with McDonald Observatory staff, efficient, reliable, uncomplicated methodologies are required in all aspects of the observing operations.

引用

页码：50 / 54

页数：5