The 2.3 metre

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally meaning only an optical instrument using lenses, curved mirrors, or a combination of both to obse ...

Siding Spring Observatory Siding Spring Observatory near Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia, part of the Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics (RSAA) at the Australian National University (ANU), incorporates the Anglo-Australian Telescope along with a co ...

is operated by the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies and ...

. The Advanced Technology Telescope was constructed during the early 1980s and featured, at the time, radical{{citation needed, date=August 2014 features: an unusually thin mirror, an alt-az mount and co-rotating dome.{{cite web , url=http://rsaa.anu.edu.au/observatories/siding-spring-observatory/telescopes/anu-23m-telescope , title=ANU 2.3m Telescope , work=ANU College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences , publisher=The Australian National University , accessdate=15 April 2013 The optical telescope has

Altazimuth mount An altazimuth mount or alt-azimuth mount is a simple two- axis mount for supporting and rotating an instrument about two perpendicular axes – one vertical and the other horizontal. Rotation about the vertical axis varies the azimuth (compass b ...

and a primary mirror with a focal length of f/2.05. It is housed in a box-shaped building which rotates as the telescope tracks objects. Instrumentation includes an integral field

spectrograph An optical spectrometer (spectrophotometer, spectrograph or spectroscope) is an instrument used to measure properties of light over a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically used in spectroscopic analysis to identify mat ...

known as WiFeS, an echelle

, and a Nasmyth imager. The telescope is a workhorse for numerous large programs where it is used to do follow-up observations on objects of interest before more extensive observations are made at larger telescopes. It is also a valuable tool for training students in the astronomical observing techniques.

History

The telescope was the initiative of Don Mathewson. It was inaugurated Prime Minister, Bob Hawke on 16 May 1984. It was regarded as an achievement in high technology for Australia. In 1985, it won an award from the Institution of Engineers.

Mirror

The mirror used in the telescope is much thinner than those typically used in a telescope mirror. Its ratio of diameter to thickness is about 20:1.{{cite book , title=Explorers of the Southern Sky: A History of Australian Astronomy , last=Haynes , first=Raymond , date=1996 , publisher=

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer. Cambr ...

, isbn=0521365759 , pages=184–185 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XoeiJxMmXZ8C , accessdate=15 April 2013 The light mirror and rotating design allows the telescope to be rapidly moved as observations are made.

References

{{Reflist {{Australian_National_University {{Portal bar, Australia, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System, Education, Science Optical telescopes Siding Spring Observatory 1984 establishments in Australia

History

Mirror

See also

References