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

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