Astronomical telescopes: a new generation.
Abstract
After a hiatus of more than a decade, astronomers are poised to build a new generation of large ground-based telescopes. With their larger areas, rigorous imaging specifications, and modern control systems, they will allow astronomers to extend traditional astronomical observations to fainter, more distant objects, and will permit fundamentally novel investigations from the ground. New technologies, such as segmented mirrors, active figure control, "spin-cast" mirrors, and multiple mirrors, are being applied to extend the size of today's largest single-mirror telescope (6 m in diameter) and to combine the light from smaller individual mirrors to create effective apertures up to 16 m in diameter.
- Publication:
-
Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest
- Pub Date:
- March 1989
- Bibcode:
- 1989JHATD..10...29P
- Keywords:
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- Astronomy;
- Technology Assessment;
- Telescopes;
- Active Control;
- Atmospheric Attenuation;
- Borosilicate Glass;
- Mirrors;
- Structural Design;
- Temperature Control;
- Astronomy;
- New Technology Telescopes