Related papers: TMT Science and Instruments
Diffraction-limited radial velocity instruments offer a pathway towards improved precision and stability, and the exploration of new parameter spaces at high spatial and spectral resolution. However, achieving the necessary performance…
In this white paper (WP), we highlight several examples of small and moderate aperture telescopes that are being used for education and/or research. We further discuss potential costs for establishing new, small observatories, as well as…
We recommend a conceptual design study for a spectroscopic facility in the southern hemisphere comprising a large diameter telescope, fiber system, and spectrographs collectively optimized for massively-multiplexed spectroscopy. As a…
MSE will be a massively multiplexed survey telescope, including a segmented primary mirror which feeds fibers at the prime focus, including an array of approximately four thousand fibers, positioned precisely to feed banks of spectrographs…
The Laser Guide Star Facility for the VLT will be commissioned during 2003. This, of course, can only be the first step towards enhancing the scientific output of the VLT through adaptive optics. So in this contribution we propose the…
A review of modernization and growth of ground based optical and near-infrared astrophysical observational facilities in the globe attributed to the recent technological developments in optomechanical, electronics and computer science areas…
The capability of maintaining two satellites in precise relative position, stable in a celestial coordinate system, would enable major advances in a number of scientific disciplines and with a variety of types of instrumentation. The common…
In previous works we presented a novel multiparametric sensor to simultaneously measure the refractive index and the speed of sound in a liquid by means of the acousto-optic effect. The sensor requires an illumination system that expands…
An all-spherical catadioptic system made of glass of one type is proposed for the monitoring of large sky areas. We provide an example of such a system with the aperture of diameter 400 mm and the curved field of 30 degree in diameter.
The Origins Space Telescope (OST) will transform our understanding of the Universe, from formation of the earliest galaxies to the creation of habitable worlds. OST's Mission Concept 1, the subject of this report, features a cold (4 K)…
We present a design for a wide-field spectroscopic telescope. The only large powered mirror is spherical, the resulting spherical aberration is corrected for each target separately, giving exceptional image quality. The telescope is a…
Many adaptive optics systems operate by measuring the distortion of the wavefront in one wavelength range and performing the scientific observations in a second, different wavelength range. One common technique is to measure wavefront…
With sub-microarcsecond angular accuracy, the \theia telescope will be capable of revealing the architectures of nearby exoplanetary systems down to the mass of Earth. This research addresses the challenges inherent in space astrometry…
The wide-field spectroscopic survey telescope (WST) is proposed to become the next large optical/near infrared facility for the European Southern Observatory (ESO) once the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) has become operational. While the…
The design of astronomical hardware operating at the diffraction limit requires optimisation of physical optical simulations of the instrument with respect to desired figures of merit, such as photometric or astrometric precision. System…
The optical design of the Multi Conjugate Adaptive Optics Relay for the Extremely Large Telescope experienced many modifications since Phase A conclusion in late 2009. These modifications were due to the evolution of the telescope design,…
Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope (LCOGT) is a young organization dedicated to time-domain observations at optical and (potentially) near-IR wavelengths. To this end, LCOGT is constructing a world-wide network of telescopes,…
NFIRAOS, the Thirty Meter Telescope's first adaptive optics system is an order 60x60 Multi-Conjugate AO system with two deformable mirrors. Although most observing will use 6 laser guide stars, it also has an NGS-only mode. Uniquely,…
An overview of the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) is presented. Emphasis is on current capabilities of direct interest to the scientific user community, including instruments. Educational services and prospects and strategies for the future…
We present a conceptual design for a fiber positioning system for multi-object high-resolution spectroscopy, designed to be compatible with the upcoming large telescopes with a wide field of view. The design incorporates multiple…