Instrumentation for Ground-Based Optical Astronomy : Present and Future The Ninth Santa Cruz Summer Workshop in Astronomy and Astrophysics, July 13–July 24, 1987, Lick Observatory

Historically, the discovery of tools, or evidence that tools have been used, has been taken as proof of human activity; certainly the invention and spread of new tools has been a critical marker of human progress and has increased our ability to observe, measure, and understand the physical world. In astronomy the tools are telescopes and the optical and electronic instruments that support them. The use of the telescope by Galileo marked the beginning of a new and productive way to study and understand the universe in which we live. The effects of this new tool on what we can see, and how we see ourselves, are well known. However, after almost four centuries of developing ever more sensitive and subtle instruments as tools for astronomy, it might have been expected that only a few minor improvements would remain to be made, or that possibly the law of diminishing returns would have taken effect. On the contrary, the new instruments and ideas for new instruments described in this book make it clear that the rate of progress has not diminished, and that this subject is still as exciting and productive as ever. Instrumentation for Ground-Based Optical Astronomy was chosen as the theme for the Ninth Santa Cruz Summer Workshop in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Front Matter....Pages i-xxxiv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction to the Session on High Resolution Spectrographs....Pages 3-5 Aspects of the Optical Design of the AAT and WHT Echelle Spectrographs....Pages 6-20 Overall Philosophy of the Echelle Spectrographs for the Anglo Australian Telescope and William Herschel Telescope....Pages 21-32 The Lick Observatory Hamilton Echelle Spectrometer....Pages 33-38 Optical Design of the ARC Echelle Spectrometer....Pages 39-46 A Coudé Echelle Spectrograph with a Large Mosaic Grating but with Small Corrector Lenses....Pages 47-51 A New High-Resolution CCD Spectrometer for the McDonald Observatory 2.7-Meter Telescope....Pages 52-67 HIRES: A High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer for the Keck 10-Meter Telescope....Pages 68-103 A Comparison of Holographic and Echelle Gratings in Astronomical Spectrometry....Pages 104-117 What’s New in Gratings?....Pages 118-123 Fabry-Perot Interferometers....Pages 124-133 An Ultra-High Resolution Spectrograph in a Hurry....Pages 134-149 Front Matter....Pages 151-151 Overview of Faint Object Spectrographs....Pages 153-156 A CCD Spectropolarimeter for the Lick Observatory 3-Meter Telescope....Pages 157-171 Experience with the Palomar Double Spectrograph....Pages 172-176 Optical Design of Image Stabilizer Systems and Associated Off-Axis Guiders....Pages 177-182 An Immersion Grating for an Astronomical Spectrograph....Pages 183-188 Front Matter....Pages 189-189 Introduction to Session on Multi-Object Spectrographs....Pages 191-191 Multiple Object Spectroscopy....Pages 192-208 Multi-Object Spectrography at ESO and the CFHT....Pages 209-221 Front Matter....Pages 189-189 Fiber-Fed Instrumentation at CTIO....Pages 222-232 The MX Spectrometer: Operational Results....Pages 233-249 Fiber Optics at Kitt Peak National Observatory....Pages 250-255 Multifiber Spectroscopy for the Keck 10-Meter Telescope....Pages 256-259 A Bench Fiber Fed Spectrograph for Stellar Line Variability Studies....Pages 260-265 A New Device for Faint Objects High Resolution Imagery and Bidimensional Spectrography....Pages 266-274 All-Reflective Aspherized Grating Spectrographs at the Prime Focus of the CFHT....Pages 275-295 The Large Pupil Case: The ESSEFEM Multislit Spectrograph....Pages 296-303 SILFID: A Versatile Fiber-Optics Spectrograph for Faint Objects....Pages 304-310 Front Matter....Pages 311-311 Introduction to Session on Imaging and Photometry, Image Reconstruction....Pages 313-314 Image Reconstruction Using Adaptive Optics....Pages 315-336 Laser Guide Stars for Adaptive Optical Telescopes....Pages 337-344 Speckle Imaging Review....Pages 345-359 Image Stabilization at the ESO 2.2-Meter Telescope with DISCO....Pages 360-365 Adaptive Optics Activities at ESO....Pages 366-377 High-Resolution Imaging with Segmented Pupils....Pages 378-385 A High Speed CCD Photometer for McDonald Observatory....Pages 386-399 Front Matter....Pages 401-401 A User’s View of Data Reduction Systems....Pages 403-410 Hardware and Software Portability and Performance....Pages 411-416 The IRAF CCD Reduction Package — CCDRED....Pages 417-430 Front Matter....Pages 401-401 The MIDAS Image Processing System....Pages 431-442 The VISTA Astronomical CCD Data Reduction and Analysis Software....Pages 443-447 The FIGARO Package for Astronomical Data Analysis....Pages 448-457 Front Matter....Pages 459-459 Introduction to CCD Session....Pages 461-461 Traps and Deferred Charge in CCDs....Pages 462-485 Recent CCD Technology Developments....Pages 486-492 CCD Astrometry: One Primer and Two Problems....Pages 493-500 Optical or Infrared — the Elusive Boundary....Pages 501-507 Front Matter....Pages 509-509 Introduction to Session on Photon-Counting Equipment....Pages 511-515 Photon-Counting Detector Systems....Pages 516-527 Properties of a 40-mm Microchannel Plate Intensifier....Pages 528-538 The Ranicon Photon Counting Imager....Pages 539-541 The RANICON for Ground Based Optical Astronomy....Pages 542-556 Status of the MAMA Detector Development Program....Pages 557-567 Experience with the MAMA Detector....Pages 568-573 Development of Visible Light Sensitive Imaging Tubes with Microchannel Plate Intensifiers and Wedge and Strip Readout....Pages 574-581 Interpolative Centroiding in Photon Counting Detectors....Pages 582-588 The Photon Counting Camera CP40....Pages 589-592 Front Matter....Pages 593-593 Introduction to Session on Instrument Control and Data Acquisition....Pages 595-601 New Instruments for Time-Series Photometry....Pages 602-611 Front Matter....Pages 593-593 Standardization and Modularity of Instrument Controls for Astronomical Applications at ESO....Pages 612-620 UNIX TM and Data Collection in Astronomy....Pages 621-627 The Control System for the UCL Coudé Echelle Spectrograph....Pages 628-637 Optical Multi-Mode Instrumentation at the University of São Paulo....Pages 638-646 Development of a High Speed Video Cassette Data Acquisition System for the Observation of Rapid Fluctuations in Solar Flares....Pages 647-647 Front Matter....Pages 649-649 Session 9 Overview....Pages 651-652 An Automated Supernova Search and the Design and Strategy....Pages 653-662 An Overview of the Digitized Astronomy Supernovae Search Control and Image Processing Software....Pages 663-673 The Status of Berkeley’s Real-Time Supernova Search....Pages 674-680 Remote Use of the Apache Point 3.5-Meter Telescope....Pages 681-685 The Control System for the Apache Point 3.5-Meter Telescope....Pages 686-690 Pointing and Tracking Algorithms for the Keck 10-Meter Telescope....Pages 691-706 CFHT Remote Observing Possibilities....Pages 707-713 CCD TV Camera for Telescope Guiding....Pages 714-719 Fifteen Degree Correcting Optics for a 10-Meter Liquid Mirror Telescope....Pages 720-723 The Floating Boule Telescope Project....Pages 724-728 Front Matter....Pages 729-729 Introduction to Session on Equipment Available from Industry....Pages 731-731 DFM Engineering, Inc. Generation III Telescope Control System TCS 68000....Pages 732-741 A Large Area CCD Imaging System....Pages 742-748 Workshop Summary....Pages 749-751 High Resolution Spectrographs. Chaired by D. Schroeder and S. Vogt Low Resolution, Faint Object Spectrographs. Chaired by J. Miller Multi-Object Spectrographs. Chaired by H. Ford Imaging and Photometry, Image Reconstruction. Chaired by G. Lelièvre Data Analysis, Software and Systems. Chaired by S. Grandi Detectors I: CCDs. Chaired by J.B. Oke Detectors II: Infrared Photo-Cathodes, Photon Counters. Chaired by M. Cullum Instrument Control, Data Acquisition. Chaired by P. Jorden Telescope Control, Remote Observing. Chaired by J. Geary Equipment Available from Industry; Closing Session. Chaired by L. Robinson. This Workshop Was Attended By Leaders In The Field Of Astronomical Instrumentation From Over A Dozen Countries. Papers Describe Not Only Instruments In Operation At Most Major Astronomical Observatories But Also Plans And Detailed Designs For The Next Generation Of Instruments. Subjects Discussed Include Spectrographs, Sensors, Telescope And Instrument Control, Computer Support, Optical Components, Adaptive Optics, And Data Acquisition Techniques. This Book Will Be Of Great Interest To Those Who Plan Or Design New Instruments For Astronomy.