Binocular Telescope Sees First Light

http://www.universetoday.com/am/publ....html?26102005

"Summary - (Oct 26, 2005) The massive Large Binocular Telescope, mounted
atop Mount Graham in Arizona achieved a major milestone on October 12 with
its first images - known as first light. The telescope is so powerful
because it combines the light from its twin 8.4 metre mirrors to act as a
single 11.8 metre observatory. And its adaptive optics system, which
compensates for atmospheric disturbance, makes it even more powerful."

On Wed, 26 Oct 2005 23:36:16 GMT, Klaatu
wrote:

http://www.universetoday.com/am/publ....html?26102005

"Summary - (Oct 26, 2005) The massive Large Binocular Telescope, mounted
atop Mount Graham in Arizona achieved a major milestone on October 12 with
its first images - known as first light. The telescope is so powerful
because it combines the light from its twin 8.4 metre mirrors to act as a
single 11.8 metre observatory. And its adaptive optics system, which
compensates for atmospheric disturbance, makes it even more powerful."

I only see one mirror in the picture posted with the article. Is the
picture not recent, or am I missing something? ;-)

---
Michael McCulloch

The article states that the telescope is controlled by Lucifer. And
designed by Germans too. Makes sense.


Klaatu wrote:
http://www.universetoday.com/am/publ....html?26102005

"Summary - (Oct 26, 2005) The massive Large Binocular Telescope, mounted
atop Mount Graham in Arizona achieved a major milestone on October 12 with
its first images - known as first light. The telescope is so powerful
because it combines the light from its twin 8.4 metre mirrors to act as a
single 11.8 metre observatory. And its adaptive optics system, which
compensates for atmospheric disturbance, makes it even more powerful."

"Michael McCulloch" wrote


I only see one mirror in the picture posted with the article. Is the
picture not recent, or am I missing something? ;-)

No, the second mirror was just installed about 10 or so days ago. I believe
it (the second mirror) has yet to be aluminized.

Howard Lester
MMT Observatory

Michael McCulloch wrote:
On Wed, 26 Oct 2005 23:36:16 GMT, Klaatu
wrote:

http://www.universetoday.com/am/publ....html?26102005

"Summary - (Oct 26, 2005) The massive Large Binocular Telescope, mounted
atop Mount Graham in Arizona achieved a major milestone on October 12 with
its first images - known as first light. The telescope is so powerful
because it combines the light from its twin 8.4 metre mirrors to act as a
single 11.8 metre observatory. And its adaptive optics system, which
compensates for atmospheric disturbance, makes it even more powerful."

I only see one mirror in the picture posted with the article. Is the
picture not recent, or am I missing something? ;-)

Looking at the image again, is the mirror on the left installed, but
pointing directly left? There does appear to be a shiney thing which
could be the back of the mirror, a C-shaped altitude bearing and a
support for the secondary similar to that on the right mirror but
mounted at the top rather than the bottom.

If that is the second mirror it seems a bit odd that it can point at
90 degrees to the other mirror. Perhaps that's a parked position for
maintenance.


Tim
--
Shares are your votes in a pigologocracy.

Howard Lester wrote:

"Michael McCulloch" wrote

I only see one mirror in the picture posted with the article. Is the
picture not recent, or am I missing something? ;-)

No, the second mirror was just installed about 10 or so days ago. I believe
it (the second mirror) has yet to be aluminized.

Howard Lester
MMT Observatory


Aluminum? Phooey! With a mirror that big, who NEEDS it?!

Even uncoated, working at ~4% reflectivity, a single LBT mirror has over
1000x the light grasp of my eeensy-weensy dob.

The article goes on to say that the image was taken using only one
mirror. For a while I thought maybe they managed to get the
interferometry going while looking at a bright-ish object with the naked
glass. I'd guess 10 days is WAY too early to even think about doing
something like that, although some of the optics guys might want to try!

-Greg

"Klaatu" wrote in message
t...

http://www.universetoday.com/am/publ....html?26102005

"Summary - (Oct 26, 2005) The massive Large Binocular Telescope, mounted
atop Mount Graham in Arizona achieved a major milestone on October 12 with
its first images - known as first light. The telescope is so powerful
because it combines the light from its twin 8.4 metre mirrors to act as a
single 11.8 metre observatory. And its adaptive optics system, which
compensates for atmospheric disturbance, makes it even more powerful."

first light image..
http://medusa.as.arizona.edu/lbto/FL/main.htm

main website for LBT is http://medusa.as.arizona.edu/lbto/index.htm

/darkfield

Klaatu wrote:
http://www.universetoday.com/am/publ....html?26102005

from the article:

because it uses the most modern adaptive optics, superimposing pictures
with an interferometric procedure. The astronomers are thus able to
compensate for the blurring caused by air turbulence, and see into the
universe much more clearly than Hubble.

----

is this true? more clearly than the Hubble?

"Esmail Bonakdarian" wrote

because it uses the most modern adaptive optics, superimposing pictures
with an interferometric procedure. The astronomers are thus able to
compensate for the blurring caused by air turbulence, and see into the
universe much more clearly than Hubble.

----

is this true? more clearly than the Hubble?

Could be. A number of years ago, Keck, working with adaptive optics,
produced some remarkable photos of Neptune. They were shown side by side
with a Hubble shot and the two were very comparable.

is this true? more clearly than the Hubble?


Could be. A number of years ago, Keck, working with adaptive optics,
produced some remarkable photos of Neptune. They were shown side by side
with a Hubble shot and the two were very comparable.

Amazing .. thanks Howard,

Esmail