The SOAR Telescope

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The SOAR Telescope
MSUs Laboratory for Astronomical Discovery
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• An International Partnership

National Optical Astronomy Observatory
Brazil
Cerro Pachón, Chile
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• An International Partnership

National Optical Astronomy Observatory
Brazil
Cerro Pachón, Chile
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• The Site
• Cerro Pachón

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• The Site
• Cerro Pachón

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• The Site
• Cerro Pachón

• Cerro Pachón, Chile.
• 9000 altitude.
• In Andes Mountains.

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• The Site
• Cerro Pachón

• Cerro Pachón, Chile.
• 9000 altitude.
• In Andes Mountains.
• One of worlds best astronomical sites
• Dark skies
• Clear skies
• Very little air turbulence.

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Inside the dome
A big telescope
Some small people
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3-mirror optical path
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3-mirror optical path
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3-mirror optical path
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3-mirror optical path
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3-mirror optical path
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The Primary Mirror (being installed in its
supporting cell)
Glass primary mirror 14 feet in diameter
x 4 inches thick
Mirror Cell 120 computer-controlled force
actuators
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Many different instruments available. Analyze
light in different ways
Infrared Imager
Optical Imager
Infrared Spectrograph
Optical Spectrograph
Optical IFU Spectrograph
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Many different instruments available. Analyze
light in different ways
Infrared Imager
Optical Imager
Infrared Spectrograph
Optical Spectrograph
Optical IFU Spectrograph
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The Spartan Infrared Camera

• Built in MSUs astronomical instrumentation lab.
• 40962 pixel detector array.
• Highest possible angular resolution.
• Wide field of view.

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Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
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The Electromagnetic Spectrum and Absorption by
the Earths Atmosphere
Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
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The Electromagnetic Spectrum and Absorption by
the Earths Atmosphere
Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
Light from outer space cannot penetrate below
this altitude.
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The Electromagnetic Spectrum and Absorption by
the Earths Atmosphere
Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
Light from outer space cannot penetrate below
this altitude.

• Telescopes must be in space to observe at x-ray,
  ultra-violet, or far-infrared wavelengths
• Chandra X-Ray satellite
• Hubble Space Telescope
• Spitzer Infrared satellite

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Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
?Wavelength of light
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Ground-based optical-IR telescopes complement
space observatories
Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
?Wavelength of light
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Ground-based optical-IR telescopes complement
space observatories
Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
We use ground-based telescopes at these
wavelengths.
?Wavelength of light
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Ground-based optical-IR telescopes complement
space observatories
Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
We use ground-based telescopes at these
wavelengths.

• SOARs infrared images as sharp as Hubbles!

?Wavelength of light
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Ground-based optical-IR telescopes complement
space observatories
Why build a 4-meter diameter ground-based
telescope?
We use ground-based telescopes at these
wavelengths.

• SOARs infrared images as sharp as Hubbles!
• Much less expensive than telescope in space!

?Wavelength of light