2.7 m Harlan J. Smith Telescope

Constructed 1966-68, the Harlan J. Smith Telescope has a 2.7 meter (107-inch) mirror, which was the third largest in the world when built. 

Telescope Safety and Operating Information

Night Reports (Read only.  To file, use the TCS)

Telescope Parameters

Optical
Primary Mirror
Diameter 2.72 m (107")
Focal length 10.68 m (35')
F-ratio 3.93
Cassegrain f/8.8
Ritchey-Chretien focus
Focal length 23.91 m (78.4')
F-ratio 8.8
Field of view 61.5 arcmin
Plate scale 8.62 arcsec/mm
Cassegrain f/17.7 focus
Focal length 47.98 m (157.4')
F-ratio 17.65
Field of view 31 arcmin
Plate scale 4.29 arcsec/mm
Coudé f/32.5 focus
Focal length 88.43 m (290.1')
F-ratio 32.54
Field of view 6 arcmin
Plate scale 2.32 arcsec/mm

 

Mechanical
Primary Mirror
Weight 3540 kg (7800 lbs)
Thickness 31.8 cm (12.5")
Material fused silica
Telescope Tube
Diameter 3.66 m (12')
Length 9.75 m (32')
Telescope
Weight 145 t (190 tons)
Bearings
Polar axis pressurized oil and radial thrust bearings
Dec axis preloaded ball bearings
Dome
Diameter 23 m (76')
Weight 200 t (220 tons)

 

Historical
Construction
Started April 1966
Completed October 1968
Contractor
Design Charles Jones, Inc.
Telescope Westinghouse
Dome C.H. Lovell Construction Co.
Optics Davidson Optronics

Instruments

Cassegrain f/8.8 Ritchey-Chretien Focus

High spectral resolving power near-infrared (H,K) spectrograph 

Large field-of-view optical camera

Wide field-of-view, low-to-medium spectral resolution Integral Field Unit

Wide field-of-view, medium spectral resolution Integral Field Unit

Coudé f/32.5 Focus

High-to-very-high spectral resolving power, broad band-pass, optical spectrograph 

Future Instruments 

  • VIRUS-2

Observer Information - Operating the Telescope

The TCS manual includes a number of sub-manuals that can be called from within the document or can be called individually from the list of sub-manuals below.

TCS Sub-Manuals