Table Of Content1.1 Optical telescopes 1
1 Astronomical instruments
1.1 Optical telescopes
1.1.1 - 1.1.5 see LB Vi/2a
1.1.6 New and future developments
To enable ground-based, optical telescopes with entrance apertures larger than about 6 m, several new
technologies have been introduced to telescope manufacturing and operation [88U,9OB] (In the following,
we will define an optical telescope as a collector of light with wavelengths between 0.3 and 2Opm). This
includes segmented-mirror (e.g. Keck telescope), and multi-telescope designs where the telescopes may
be mounted individually (like the VLT) or on a common mounting (like the MMT). For abbreviations see
Table 3. Consequentely, it is necessary to develop telescope coupling methods (for incoherent as well as
coherent beams) [89F, 88B]. If coherent coupling will be successful, interferometric methods will enable
very high resolution observations at least in the near infrared [88M, 88U, 90B].
To reduce the weight of the single blanks, thin mirrors [89R] with diameters up to 8.2m as well
as honeycomb mirrors [85A] are under construction. To account for the figuring problems of the thin
mirrors, the concept of active optics [91W2] has been developed based on wavefront-sensors [89W].
These sensors enable closed-loop technics as they are able to analyse the wavefront aberrations in a
quasi-on-line manner. The concept of the closed-loop regulation of the optics will be further developed
into the concept of adaptive optics which should be able to correct for seeing-induced image distortions
[88U, 89B, 90B].
It is meanwhile common to place large mirrors on ah-azimuth mountings which again reduce the
weight and the cost of the design [88U, 90B]. Therefore, many future instruments will be used in Nasmyth
focus stations and their design has to account for field de-rotation. New technologies are in discussion
also for the mountings like, e.g., optical gyro-control systems for the pointing and tracking [91M, 91S]
or carbon-reinforced plastics [89K] instead of steel.
Further increase of the overall efficiency of (planned as well as of existing) telescopes were achieved
by high-quantum-efficiency detectors [9OC and subsect 1.3.91, improved understanding and operation of
the local observing conditions (“dome seeing”) [86M, 88U, 90B], and “high-throughput” instrumentations
like, e.g., focal-reducers and multi-object spectrographs [88U, 9OC].
For several of the future projects, remote observing is planned meaning that the observer operates
the telescope from the home-institute [85M, 86S]. First such regular services are offered by ES0 for
some of their La Silla telescopes. The discussion of the design of the “post-VLT” telescope generation
has already started and is related to the progress and success of space telescopes [90B, 91Wl].
References for 1.1.6
85A Angel, J.R.P., Cheng, A.Y.S., Woolf, N.J.: SPIE Conf. Proc. 571 (1985) 123.
85M Martin, R., Hartley, K.: Vistas Astron. 28 (1985) 555.
86M Millis, R.L. (ed.): Identification, Optimization and Protection of Optical Telescope Sites, Proc.
Flagstaff (1986).
86s Staffi, G., Ziebell, M.: ES0 Conference and Workshop Proc. 24 (1986) 317.
Land&-BBmstein
New Series VY3a
2 1.1 Optical telescopes [Ref.p. 10
88B Brown, D.S., Doel, A.P., Dunlop, C.N., Major, J.V., Myers, R.M., Purvis, A., Thompson, M.G.:
ES0 Conference and Workshop Proc. 30 (1988) 761.
88M Merkle, F. (ed.): High Resolution Imaging by Interferometry, ES0 Conference and Workshop
Proc. 29 (1988).
88U Ulrich, M.H. (ed.): Very Large Telescopes and Their Instrumentations, ES0 Conference Proc. No.
30 (1988).
89B Beckers, J.M., Merkle, F.: New Technology for Astronomy, SPIE Conf. Proc. 1130 (1989) 10.
89F Faucherre, M., Greenaway, A.H., Merkle, F., Noordam, J.E., Perryman, M.A.C., RouseI, P., Vakili,
F., Volonte, S., Weigelt, G.: SPIE Conf. Proc. 1130 (1989) 101.
89K Karcher, H.J., Nicklas, H., Maurer, D., Czarnetzki, W.: The German Large Telescope Project,
Gijttingen (1989) 86.
89R Roddier, F.J. (ed.): Active Telescope Systems, SPIE Conf. Proc. 1114 (1989).
89W Wilson, R.N., Noethe, L.: SPIE Conf. Proc. 114 (1989) 290.
90B Barr, L.D. (ed.): Advanced Technology Optical Telescopes IV, SPIE Conf. Proc. 1236 (1990) Part
I and II.
9oc Crawford, D.L. (ed.): Instrumentation in Astronomy VII, SPIE Conf. Proc. 1235 (1990), I and II.
91M Merkle F., Ravenbergen, M.: ES0 Messenger 65 (1991) 53
91s Schroder, W., Dahlmann, H., Huber, B., Schtissele, L., Merkle, F., Ravenbergen, M.: SPIE Conf.
Proc. 1585 (1991) (preprint).
91Wl Wilson, R.N.: ES0 Messenger 63 (1991) 15.
91W2 Wilson, R.N., Franza, F., Noethe, L., Andreoni, G.: Active Optics III, J. Mod. Optics 38
(1991) 219.
1.1.7 Updated list of large optical telescopes erected after 1960
Table 3. List of large optical telescopes erected after 1960. It includes reflectors with a minimum
aperture of 1.2 m and wide-field cameras with a minimum aperture of 0.6 m. For telescopes erected
before 1960, see [65B]. Included are some new generation telescope projects if they are in the phase of
realization.
Abbreviations:
ATT Advanced Technology Telesc oPe Nas Nasmyth focus
ah-alt alt-alt mounting New Newtonian focus
alt-az ah-azimuth mounting NTT New Technology Telescope
Cas Cassegrain focus Pr prime focus
CAT CoudC Auxiliary Telescope RC Ritchey Chretien focus
cou CoudC focus Re reflector
doubl. doublet corrector Sch Schmidt camera
Gasc. aspheric Gascoigne plate SST Spectroscopic Survey Telescope
IR infrared telescope facility tripl. triplet corrector
MMT Multiple Mirror Telescope VLT Very Large Telescope
mod. modified
Land&BSmstein
New Series VU3a
2 1.1 Optical telescopes [Ref.p. 10
88B Brown, D.S., Doel, A.P., Dunlop, C.N., Major, J.V., Myers, R.M., Purvis, A., Thompson, M.G.:
ES0 Conference and Workshop Proc. 30 (1988) 761.
88M Merkle, F. (ed.): High Resolution Imaging by Interferometry, ES0 Conference and Workshop
Proc. 29 (1988).
88U Ulrich, M.H. (ed.): Very Large Telescopes and Their Instrumentations, ES0 Conference Proc. No.
30 (1988).
89B Beckers, J.M., Merkle, F.: New Technology for Astronomy, SPIE Conf. Proc. 1130 (1989) 10.
89F Faucherre, M., Greenaway, A.H., Merkle, F., Noordam, J.E., Perryman, M.A.C., RouseI, P., Vakili,
F., Volonte, S., Weigelt, G.: SPIE Conf. Proc. 1130 (1989) 101.
89K Karcher, H.J., Nicklas, H., Maurer, D., Czarnetzki, W.: The German Large Telescope Project,
Gijttingen (1989) 86.
89R Roddier, F.J. (ed.): Active Telescope Systems, SPIE Conf. Proc. 1114 (1989).
89W Wilson, R.N., Noethe, L.: SPIE Conf. Proc. 114 (1989) 290.
90B Barr, L.D. (ed.): Advanced Technology Optical Telescopes IV, SPIE Conf. Proc. 1236 (1990) Part
I and II.
9oc Crawford, D.L. (ed.): Instrumentation in Astronomy VII, SPIE Conf. Proc. 1235 (1990), I and II.
91M Merkle F., Ravenbergen, M.: ES0 Messenger 65 (1991) 53
91s Schroder, W., Dahlmann, H., Huber, B., Schtissele, L., Merkle, F., Ravenbergen, M.: SPIE Conf.
Proc. 1585 (1991) (preprint).
91Wl Wilson, R.N.: ES0 Messenger 63 (1991) 15.
91W2 Wilson, R.N., Franza, F., Noethe, L., Andreoni, G.: Active Optics III, J. Mod. Optics 38
(1991) 219.
1.1.7 Updated list of large optical telescopes erected after 1960
Table 3. List of large optical telescopes erected after 1960. It includes reflectors with a minimum
aperture of 1.2 m and wide-field cameras with a minimum aperture of 0.6 m. For telescopes erected
before 1960, see [65B]. Included are some new generation telescope projects if they are in the phase of
realization.
Abbreviations:
ATT Advanced Technology Telesc oPe Nas Nasmyth focus
ah-alt alt-alt mounting New Newtonian focus
alt-az ah-azimuth mounting NTT New Technology Telescope
Cas Cassegrain focus Pr prime focus
CAT CoudC Auxiliary Telescope RC Ritchey Chretien focus
cou CoudC focus Re reflector
doubl. doublet corrector Sch Schmidt camera
Gasc. aspheric Gascoigne plate SST Spectroscopic Survey Telescope
IR infrared telescope facility tripl. triplet corrector
MMT Multiple Mirror Telescope VLT Very Large Telescope
mod. modified
Land&BSmstein
New Series VU3a
Ref.p. lo] 1.1 Optical telescopes 3
Table 3
Location Type Mount Aperture Optical Focal- Year Ref.
(Observatory) [ml system length [m]
Abastumani Re 1.25
Apache Point Re ah-az 3.5 1992 9OSl
(Astronomical Re-
search Consortium) Sch 2.5
Asiago Sch yoke 0.6510.92 Pr 2.15 1964 65B
(Padua Univ.)
Re fork 1.82 Cas 16.4 1973 74B
Brazopolis Re off-axis 1.6 RC 16.0
(Brazilian Nat. Obs.) cou 240.0149.9
Budapest Sch fork 0.610.9 Pr 1.8 1963 65B
(Budapest)
Byurakan Sch fork 1.0/1.5 Pr 2.13 1961 65B
(Byurakan)
Re fork 2.6 Pr 9.4 1975
Nas 41.6
cou 104.0
Calar Alto Re pole 1.23 mod.RC 9.86 1975 71s
(Max-Planck-Inst. universal mod.RC/doubl. 9.81
for Astronomy,
German-Spanish Re fork 2.2 RC 17.6 1979 73Bl
Astronomical Centre) RC/doubl. 17.0
cou 8.0
Sch fork 0.8/1.2 Pr 2.4 1980 65B
Re horseshoe 3.5 Pr/doubl. 12.2 1984 75B
Pr/tripl. 13.8
RC 35.0
cou 122.5
IR 157.5
Calar Alto Re cross axis 1.5 RC 12.0 1978
(Spanish Nat. Obs. cou 45.0
Madrid)
Calern Re 1.5 1981
(CERGA, France)
1988
Cananea Re fork 2.12 Cas 25.4 1986 87STl
(Univ. of Mexico)
Caste1 Gandolfo Sch fork 0.6410.98 Pr 2.4 1961 65B
(Specola Vaticana)
Landok-Biirnstein
New Series W/3,
4 1.1 Optical telescopes [Ref.p. 10
Table 3 (continued)
Location Type Mount Aperture Optical Focal- Year Ref.
(Observatory) [ml system length [m]
Cerro Las Campanas Re fork 2.54 RC/Gasc. 19.05 1976 73B2
(Carnegie Southern Obs. cou 76.2 74c
“Du Pont”
Cerro Las Campanas Re alt-az 8.0 RC 43.2 90D
(Carnegie, Hopkins IR 120.0
Univ., Univ. Arizona)
“Magellan”
Cerro La Silla Re cross axis 1.5 Cas 22.4 1968 89s
(European Southern cou 46.9
Obs.)
Re horseshoe 3.6 Pr/Gasc. 10.9 1976 89s
and fork Pr/tripl. 11.3
RC 28.6
cou 114.6
Sch fork 1.0/1.6 Pr 3.06 1969 89s
“CAT” Re alt-alt 1.4 CAT 1980
Re fork 2.2 RC 17.6 1984
RC/doubl 17.0
IR 77.0
“NIT’ NTT alt-az 3.5 Nas 38.5 1988 89T
Cerro La Silla Re off-axis 1.5 RC 13.1 1979 89s
(Univ. Copenhagen/ESO)
Cerro Pachon Re ah-az 8.0 CasfNas 56.0 900
(NOAO, SRC, Canada) Nas 96.0
“Gemini” (south) Nas 120.0
IR 280.0
Cerro Pachon Re alt-az 4.1 Nas 34.5 1995 91ST
(NOAO, North Carolina,
Columbia)
Cerro Paranal VLT alt-az 8.0 * 4 Cas 107.0 1996 90E
(European Southern +2.0 * 6 Nas 120.0
Obs.) Cou (vis) 592.0
“VLT” Cou (IR) 256.0
Coulcombined
(vis) 208.0
WV 151.0
Cerro To1010 Sch cross axis 0.61/0.91 Pr 2.13 1967 65B
(Inter-American Obs.)
Re off-axis 1.52 RC/Gasc. 11.4 80W
Cas 20.5
IR 45.6
cou 47.4
(continued)
Land&-Bbnstein
New Series VI&
Ref.p. lo] 1.1 Optical telescopes 5
Table 3 (continued)
Location Type Mount Aperture Optical Focal- Year Ref.
(Observatory) [ml system length [m]
Re horseshoe 4.0 Pr 10.6 80W
RC 31.2 71c
Cloudcroft Re 1.2 New 7.8 80s
(New Mexico)
Coonabarabran Sch fork 1.20.8 Pr 3.06 1973 72R
(Siding Spring
Obs., Anglo Re horseshoe 3.9 Pr/Gasc. 12.7 1975 76M
Australian Obs.) Pr./doubl. 12.7
“AAT” Pr./tripl. 13.5
RC 30.8
Cas 57.9
cou 140.2
Coonabarabran ATT alt-az 2.3 1983 85ST
(Siding Spring
Obs., Australian
Nat. Univ.)
Crimea Re fork 2.64 Pr 10.0 1961 65B
(Crimean Astro- Cas 43.0
phys. Obs.) Nas 41.0
cou 105.0
Re 1.2
Crimea Re 1.25 Pr 5.0 1960 65B
(Sternberg New 5.0
South Station) Cas 21.0
Flagstaff Re cross axis 1.83 Cas 31.0 1961 65B
(Perkins Ohs.) 69H
Flagstaff Re fork 1.55 Pr 15.0 1964 65B
(U.S. Naval Obs.)
Fort Davis Re cross axis 2.7 RC 24.0 1969 68s
(McDonald Obs., Cas 48.6
Univ. Texas) cou 89.1
SST 1.0*85 Pr 1992 90Rl
= 9.22
Gornergrat Re fork 1.5 IR 30.0 1980 81C
Hamburg-Bergedorf Re fork 1.25 RC 15.6 1976
(Hamburg Obs.)
Helwan Re cross axis 1.88 New 9.14 1963 65B
(Helwan Obs.) Cas 34.0
cou 56.0
Land&Biimstein
New Series Vi/3a
6 1.1 Optical telescopes [Ref.p. 10
Table 3 (continued)
Location Type Mount Aperture Optical Focal- Year Ref.
(Observatory) [ml system length [m]
Hsing-lung SchfRe fork 0.6/0.9 Pr 1.8 1963 65B
(Peking Obs.) Cas (0.9m) 13.5
Hyderabad Re cross axis 1.22 Pr 4.9 1963 65B
(Nizamiah Obs.) Cas 18.0
cou 37.0
Japal Rangapur Obs. Re 1.2 80ST2
(Osmania Univ.)
Jelm Mt. IR yoke 2.3 Pr 4.8 1977 78G
(Univ. Wyoming) Cas 62.1
Jena Sch/Re fork 0.610.9 Pr 1.8 1963 65B
(Jena Univ.) Cas (0.9m) 13.5
Kavalur Re horseshoe 2.3 Pr 7.5 1985 87s
(Vainu Bappu Obs.) Cas 29.9
cou 103.5
Kiaton Re off-axis 1.2 Cas 15.6 1975 74K
(Univ. Athens)
Kiso Mt. Sch fork 1.05/1.5 Pr 3.25 1974
(Kiso Obs.) Cas 34.5
Kitt Peak Re fork 2.13 RC 16.2 1963 65B
(Kitt Peak Nat. Obs.) IR 57.2 82G
cou 66.5
Re horseshoe 4.0 Pr/tripl. 11.1 1973 82G
RC 30.8 71c
cou 652.0
Re 1.27 IR 18.8 82G
Re fork 2.4 RC 18.0 1985 82ST
RC 32.4
Kitt Peak Re cross axis 1.32 Cas 10.0 1975 71w
(McGraw-Hill Cas 17.8
Obs., Univ. cou 44.2
Michigan)
Kitt Peak Re fork 2.28 RC 20.5 1969 69ST
(Steward Obs., cou 70.7
Univ. Arizona)
Kitt Peak Re ah-az 3.5 Nas 22.0 1993 90J
(Wisconsin, Indiana,
Yale, NOAO)
“WIYN”
Land&BBmstein
New Series VU3a
Ref.p. lo] 1.1 Optical telescopes 7
Table 3 (continued)
Location Type Mount Aperture Optical Focal- Year Ref.
(Observatory) [ml system length [ml
Kvistaberg Station Sch fork 1.0/1.35 Pr 3.0 1964 65B
(Uppsala Univ.)
Llano de1 Hato Sch bent yoke l.Ol1.52 Pr 3.0 1978 65B
(Univ. of the
Andes, Merida)
London, Ontario Re 1.22 1968
(Univ. Western
Ontario)
Mauna Kea Re horseshoe 3.6 Pr/tripl. 13.7 1979 770
(Canada,France, cou 72.0
Hawaii)
“CFHT”
Mauna Kea IR yoke 3.0 Cas 105.0 1979 80N
(NASA) cou 360.0
“IRTF”
Mauna Kea IR yoke 3.8 Cas 34.2 1978 77B
(United Kingdom) Cas 133.0 77c
“UKIRT” cou 76.0
Mauna Kea Re fork 2.2 RC 22.0 1970 70ST
(Univ. Hawaii) cou 72.6
Mauna Kea Re ah-az 1.8*36 Pr 17.5 90N
(Keck Inst.) 2 10.0 RC/Nas 150.0
“Keck I” IR 250.0
“Keck II” Re alt-az 1.8*36 Pr 17.5
e 10.0 RC/Nas 150.0
IR 250.0
Mauna Kea Re ah-a2 8.0 Pr 15.0 1999 90K
(Japan) RC 97.6
“Subaru” Nas 100.8
Mauna Kea Re ah-az 8.0 CasfNas 56.0 900
(NOAO, SRC, Canada) Nas 96.0
“Gemini” (north) Nas 120.0
IR 280.0
Mendoza Re fork 2.13 RC 16.2
(La Plata Obs.) cou 66.5
Merate Re fork 1.37 Cas 20.1 1972 72M
(Milan-Merate)
Mt. Abu IR 1.2 87ST2
(Rajasthan)
Land&-BGmstein
New Series w3a
8 1.1 Optical telescopes [Ref.p. 10
Table 3 (continued)
Location The Mount Aperture Optical Focal- Year Ref.
(Observatory) [ml system length [m]
Mt. Chikurin Re cross axis 1.88 New 9.2 1960 65B
(Okayama Obs.) Cas 33.9
cou 54.3
Mt. Graham Re ah-az 1.8 90ST
(Specola Vaticana)
“VATT”
Mt. Graham MMT alt-az 8.4 * 2 Cas 43.7 9OS2
(Univ. Arizona, IR 126.0
Italy, n.n.) combined 277.2
“Columbus”
Mt. Hopkins Re 1.52 Cas 15.2 1970 73s
(Smithonian cou 36.6
Astrophys. Obs.)
Mt. Hopkins Re 1.2
Mt. Hopkins MMT ah-az 1.82 * 6 Nas/Cas 57.7 1979 77H
(Smithonian = 4.46 49.9 77s
Astrophys. Obs.,
Univ. Arizona) will be changed to
Re ah-az 6.5 Cas 35.1 9oc
Cas 58.5
IR 97.5
Mt. Korek Re pole 1.25 mod.RC not operational
(Iraqui Nat. universal 82B
Astron.Obs.)
Re horseshoe 3.5 Pr/doubl. 12.2 not installed
Pr/tripl. 13.8
RC 35.0
cou 122.5
Mt. Megantic Re off-axis 1.6 Cas 12.8 1978
(Univ. Montreal) Cas 24.0
Ondrejov Re off-axis 2.0 Pr 9.0 1967 68JR
Cas 29.6 7lG
cou 72.0
Palomar Mt. Re fork 1.52 RC 13.3 1970 66B
(Hale Obs.) cou 45.6
Pit du Midi Re horseshoe 2.0 Pr 9.98 1979 80R
(Pit du Midi) Cas 50.0
Pica Veleta Re fork 1.5 Nas
(IAA-CSIC, Granada)
Land&-BBmstein
New Series VV3a
Ref.p. lo] 1.1 Optical telescopes 9
Table 3 (continued)
Location Type Mount Aperture Optical Focal- Year Ref.
(Observatory) [ml system length [m]
Piszkesteto Sch fork 0.610.9 Pr 1.8 1962
(Konkoly Obs.)
Rattlesnake Mt. Re yoke 1.52 Cas 1964 752
(Penn State Univ.)
Roque de 10s Muchachos Re fork 2.49 Pr 7.5 1983 85L
WC) Prldoubl. 8.2
“Isaac Newton” Cas 36.8
cou 82.0
“William Herschel” Re alt-a2 4.2 Pr 1988 85B
Cas/Nas 46.2 90R2
Roque de 10s Muchachos Re 2.56 RC 28.2 1988 90A
(Nordic Optical Tele- 85A
scope Scientific
Association)
“Nordic Tel.”
Roque de 10s Muchachos NTT alt-az 3.5 Nas 38.5 1994 90B
(Italy)
“Galileo”
Rozhen Re 2.0 RC 16.0 1980 80STl
(Bulgaria)
Saltsjijbaden Sch fork 0.650 .O Pr 3.0 1964 65B
(Stockholm Univ.)
San Pedro Mt. IR 1.5 1971 80A
Baja California
(Univ. of Mexico)
Re 2.12 RC 15.9 1979
RC 28.6
IR 57.2
Shemakha Re off-axis 2.0 Pr 9.0 1967 68JR
(Shemakha Astro- Cas 29.6
phys. Obs.) cou 72.0
Sutherland Re cross axis 1.88 New 9.15 1974 65B
(South African Cas 34.0
Astronomical Obs.) cou 53.0
NTT alt-az 3.5 Nas
Tautenburg SchlRe fork 1.3412.0 Pr 4.0 1960 65B
(Landessternwarte Cas(2.0) 21.0
Thiiringen)
“Karl-Schwarz-
schild-Obs.”
Land&-Biirnstein
New Series VY3a
