The Hobby-Eberly telescope: Commissioning experience and observing plans

John W. Glaspey; Mark T. Adams; John A. Booth; Mark E. Cornell; James R. Fowler; Victor L. Krabbendam; Lawrence W. Ramsey; Frank B. Ray; Randall L. Ricklefs; William J. Spiesman

doi:10.1117/12.316520

The Hobby-Eberly telescope: Commissioning experience and observing plans

John W. Glaspey, Mark T. Adams, John A. Booth, Mark E. Cornell, James R. Fowler, Victor L. Krabbendam, Lawrence W. Ramsey, Frank B. Ray, Randall L. Ricklefs, William J. Spiesman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Experience in bringing into operation the 91-segment primary mirror alignment and control system, the focal plane tracker system, and other critical subsystems of the HET will be described. Particular attention is given to the tracker, which utilizes three linear and three rotational degrees of freedom to follow sidereal targets. Coarse time-dependent functions for each axis are downloaded to autonomous PMAC controllers that provide the precise motion drives to the two linear stages and the hexapod system. Experience gained in aligning the sperate mirrors and then maintaining image quality in a variable thermal environments will also be described. Because of the fixed elevation of the primary optical axis, only a limited amount of time is available for observing objects in the 12 degrees wide observing band. With a small core HET team working with McDonald Observatory staff, efficient, reliable, uncomplicated methodologies are required in all aspects of the observing operations.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	50-54
Number of pages	5
Journal	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	3349
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316520
State	Published - 1998

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1117/12.316520

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title = "The Hobby-Eberly telescope: Commissioning experience and observing plans",

abstract = "Experience in bringing into operation the 91-segment primary mirror alignment and control system, the focal plane tracker system, and other critical subsystems of the HET will be described. Particular attention is given to the tracker, which utilizes three linear and three rotational degrees of freedom to follow sidereal targets. Coarse time-dependent functions for each axis are downloaded to autonomous PMAC controllers that provide the precise motion drives to the two linear stages and the hexapod system. Experience gained in aligning the sperate mirrors and then maintaining image quality in a variable thermal environments will also be described. Because of the fixed elevation of the primary optical axis, only a limited amount of time is available for observing objects in the 12 degrees wide observing band. With a small core HET team working with McDonald Observatory staff, efficient, reliable, uncomplicated methodologies are required in all aspects of the observing operations.",

author = "Glaspey, {John W.} and Adams, {Mark T.} and Booth, {John A.} and Cornell, {Mark E.} and Fowler, {James R.} and Krabbendam, {Victor L.} and Ramsey, {Lawrence W.} and Ray, {Frank B.} and Ricklefs, {Randall L.} and Spiesman, {William J.}",

year = "1998",

doi = "10.1117/12.316520",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "3349",

pages = "50--54",

journal = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

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T1 - The Hobby-Eberly telescope

T2 - Commissioning experience and observing plans

AU - Glaspey, John W.

AU - Adams, Mark T.

AU - Booth, John A.

AU - Cornell, Mark E.

AU - Fowler, James R.

AU - Krabbendam, Victor L.

AU - Ramsey, Lawrence W.

AU - Ray, Frank B.

AU - Ricklefs, Randall L.

AU - Spiesman, William J.

PY - 1998

Y1 - 1998

N2 - Experience in bringing into operation the 91-segment primary mirror alignment and control system, the focal plane tracker system, and other critical subsystems of the HET will be described. Particular attention is given to the tracker, which utilizes three linear and three rotational degrees of freedom to follow sidereal targets. Coarse time-dependent functions for each axis are downloaded to autonomous PMAC controllers that provide the precise motion drives to the two linear stages and the hexapod system. Experience gained in aligning the sperate mirrors and then maintaining image quality in a variable thermal environments will also be described. Because of the fixed elevation of the primary optical axis, only a limited amount of time is available for observing objects in the 12 degrees wide observing band. With a small core HET team working with McDonald Observatory staff, efficient, reliable, uncomplicated methodologies are required in all aspects of the observing operations.

AB - Experience in bringing into operation the 91-segment primary mirror alignment and control system, the focal plane tracker system, and other critical subsystems of the HET will be described. Particular attention is given to the tracker, which utilizes three linear and three rotational degrees of freedom to follow sidereal targets. Coarse time-dependent functions for each axis are downloaded to autonomous PMAC controllers that provide the precise motion drives to the two linear stages and the hexapod system. Experience gained in aligning the sperate mirrors and then maintaining image quality in a variable thermal environments will also be described. Because of the fixed elevation of the primary optical axis, only a limited amount of time is available for observing objects in the 12 degrees wide observing band. With a small core HET team working with McDonald Observatory staff, efficient, reliable, uncomplicated methodologies are required in all aspects of the observing operations.

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JF - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

ER -

The Hobby-Eberly telescope: Commissioning experience and observing plans

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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