地平式望远镜轴系误差对指向精度和跟踪精度的影响

采用球面几何的方法推导轴系位置误差对地平式望远镜指向、跟踪精度影响的计算模型.介绍2米级地平式望远镜轴系误差检测及数据处理方法.通过对目标星体指向、跟踪仿真,得到轴系位置误差对指向、跟踪精度影响规律,为轴系精度及轴系位置要求提供理论依据,并为后续控制修正提供参考模型.     

APOSOS项目15 cm光电望远镜故障监测方法研究

为了对海外站点和无人值守望远镜进行动态监测,判断望远镜是否处于正常的工作状态,提出了一种联合使用天文定位数据和轴系定位数据对望远镜的运行状态进行动态监测的方法。该方法对观测得到的天文定位与轴系定位数据进行误差计算,对比分析两种数据的误差范围,判断望远镜的工作状态。利用该方法对亚太地基光学空间物体观测系统项目位于伊朗和巴基斯坦的两台15 cm地基光电望远镜的观测数据进行检验,结果发现:其中1台15 cm望远镜轴系定位中方位角存在较大误差,误差在上百角秒,设备存在问题。通过对比此设备在国内与国外两地观测数据的误差,确定了出现问题的时间和地点。观测站工作人员对望远镜出现问题的报告印证了分析结论,证明了方法的有效性。     

光学／红外望远镜和技术的进展

天文望远镜和技术在20世纪末取得了空前的辉煌成就,并将取得更辉煌的成就(1)大型望远镜的研制口径10m的两架Keck望远镜已分别在1994年和1996年投入工作.ESOVLT四架8m望远镜中的第一架已在1998年Firstlight,最后一架也将在今年内Firstlight.两架Gemini8m中的一架和一架Subaru8m望远镜都已完成.HET9m望远镜正在最后调试.由两个8m望远镜组成的LBT将于2004年完成,一架10m(复制的Keck)和一架9m(复制的HET)望远镜正在研制中.这些望远镜已配备或将配备先进的光学、红外CCD照相机和光谱仪,如Keck的NIRSPEC、VLT的FORS、ISAAC等.巡天计划中SDSS、2dF、2MASS和DENIS仪器已完成,都已投入观测.LAMOST正在积极研制中,VISTA即将开始研制.现在CalTech等已开始研制口径30m的极大望远镜(ELT),ESO和NOAO已开始了口径100m望远镜的预研,中国和英国也提出了很好的ELT方案.(2)探测器的改进当前CCD的量子效率QE蓝片已达70%～80%,红片已达90%,已投入使用的最大的拼接的CCD为12k×8k,几个8k×8k的CCD已用在望远镜上.当前20k×18k的拼接的CCD正在研制中.天文观测上CCD已取代了照相机底片.红外波段HgCdTe1k×1k的CCD已投入工作,2k×2k的正在研制中.(3)光干涉系统的进展多个光干涉系统已投入观测并取得了一系列天文成果,如GI2T,COAST、IOTA,NPOI,PTI、ISI、SUSI、MIRA;一些光干涉系统正在发展中,如CHARA、MRO、LBT;特别是两架Keck望远镜、四架VLT都配以一些较小的望远镜组成巨大的干涉阵,前者最长基线140m,后者200m,将在今后的数年内完成并投入观测.(4)自适应光学系统的应用许多3～4m级的望远镜已配置或正在研制相应的自适应光学系统,红外和可见光波段的衍射极限的像已在3～4m级的望远镜上获得,Keck和ESO都正在发展用于10m和8m望远镜的自适应光学系统.正在研制和预研中的30m到100m口径的望远镜也都配有自适应光学和光干涉系统.注本报告以McleanIS等执笔的IAUCommission9三年进展报告(见ReportsonAstronomy1996～1999,IAUTransaction,Vol.24A,p.316～327)为蓝本,补充扩大而成.     

机场远距离目标望远镜监控系统的初步设计

望远镜监控系统可以用来监控诸如机场上空的鸟群、低空云层以及跑道和停机坪上的异常物体等机场远距离目标。整个系统的设计分为光学与机械、望远镜控制、以及监控成像与图像处理三个子系统。在光学与机械部分 ,着重论述望远镜的光学特性和电机驱动方式下的机械结构改进 ;在望远镜控制部分 ,分析了控制电机的选择、单片机的控制方式、以及计算机控制软件的功能设计 ;最后概述了监控成像与图像处理部分的初步实现方式。     

北京天文台施密特望远镜驱动系统的改进设计

介绍了北京天文台６００／９００ｍｍ施密特望远镜驱动系统的改进设计,即用２只步进电机,取代了原望远镜由４只变速箱、７只电机驱动的复杂的赤经,赤续驱动系统,最终实现了计算机控制。     

北京天文台施密特望远镜驱动系统的改进设计

介绍了北京天文台 60 0 / 90 0mm施密特望远镜驱动系统的改进设计 ,即用 2只步进电机 ,取代了原望远镜由 4只变速箱、 7只电机驱动的复杂的赤经 ,赤纬驱动系统 ,最终实现了计算机控制。     

欧洲的科学机器——甚大望远镜将使天文学在21世纪发生革命性的变化

在智利北部荒凉的山顶上,欧洲天文学家们正忙于完成世界上最强力的光学天文台。名为甚大望远镜(VLT)的这个天文台,将是未来数十年内的天文学“老骥”,给科学家带来破纪录的聚光本领和比哈勃望远镜更锐的星象。 甚大望远镜由安放在海拔2632米的色洛·帕瑞那顶端的4架同样的8.2米望远镜组成。去年夏天,第四架,也是最后一架望远镜正式对天观测,今年这组“四重唱”已经投入常规科学观测。 由八个欧洲国家组成的欧洲南天天文台(ESO)建造的     

1.2米地平式望远镜轴系的精密检测及结果分析

对云南天文台1.2米地平式望远镜的轴系给出了精密检测的结果。分离出其中的系统差,找到各项系统差对应的机理。分离系统差后轴系的随机晃动量,竖轴为0″.08,水平轴小于0″.16。     

极大望远镜桁架式镜筒设计及优化

极大望远镜由于其口径大、焦比快的特点,与大、中、小型望远镜相比在镜筒设计上有更高的位置精度和动力学要求.为了设计满足要求的极大望远镜镜筒,保证极大望远镜成像质量,根据中国极大望远镜的镜筒设计参数与要求设计了笼式镜筒和脚架镜筒.通过对比评估,确定最优方案,并对最优方案进行优化.经过分析优化,极大望远镜的镜筒采用脚架结构,主副镜轴向最大相对位移1.61 mm,径向最大相对位移4.58 mm,最大相对偏转角1.29′,镜筒固有频率4.21 Hz,满足设计要求.首次针对极大望远镜设计满足要求的全钢材脚架式镜筒,为极大望远镜,焦比快的望远镜在这方面的工作提供了技术储备.     

斜轴式望远镜动力学建模与鲁棒控制

斜轴式望远镜是一种新颖的望远镜结构, 其独特的结构设计更适合南极等极端气候环境, 但目前国内外缺乏针对斜轴式望远镜详细的动力学建模与控制研究. 提出一套斜轴式望远镜动力学建模与鲁棒控制方法, 首先, 对斜轴式望远镜进行了动力学分析, 采用拉格朗日法建立望远镜2自由度刚体模型; 接着, 结合望远镜驱动系统的柔性和所受干扰, 完成了斜轴式望远镜的干扰情况下刚柔耦合系统数学模型的推导; 然后, 针对抗干扰问题, 根据所建数学模型, 设计了基于干扰观测器的滑模控制器, 对于所受干扰进行抑制, 实现了斜轴式望远镜的鲁棒控制; 最后, 仿真结果显示, 在考虑模型的非线性外部干扰的情况下, 相比于传统的比例-积分-微分控制器, 基于干扰观测器的滑模控制器使得系统具有更好的动态性能和抗干扰特性.     

An experimental indoor phasing system based on active optics using dispersed Hartmann sensing technology in the visible waveband

A telescope with a larger primary mirror can collect much more light and resolve objects much better than one with a smaller mirror,and so the larger version is always pursued by astronomers and astronomical technicians.Instead of using a monolithic primary mirror,more and more large telescopes,which are currently being planned or in construction,have adopted a segmented primary mirror design.Therefore,how to sense and phase such a primary mirror is a key issue for the future of extremely large optical/infr...     

I S L A An Astronomical World Space Observatory for The First Century of the 3 rd Millenium

ISLA will be an astronomical observatory, operating at the upper limit of our planet Earth atmosphere, offering space like observing conditions in most aspects. ISLA can be maintained easily, modified easily if necessary, always kept at the state of the art and operated for very extended periods without polluting the stratosphere. ISLA is ideally suited to become the first world space observatory as the observing conditions are very much space-like – diffraction limited angular resolution, very low ambient temperature, remote control – however ISLA is easily accessible, telescopes and instruments can be continuously improved and ISLA's costs corresponds only to those of ground-based modern astronomical installations like the ESO-VLT-, KECK- and GEMINI-observatories. The cost of observing and experimenting on ISLA will be orders of magnitudes lower than those of building and operating any space telescope, allowing the astronomers of developing nations to participate in the ISLA observatory within their limited financial possibilities as competent and full partners. ISLA's 4-m and 2-m telescopes will operate diffraction limited from 0.3 μm in the optical, over the infrared, far-infrared to the sub-mm spectral range. ISLA's individual telescopes will permit imaging with 20 milli-arcsec spatial resolution in the optical, 5 times better than the Hubble Space Telescope. ISLA's telescopes can be combined to form an interferometer with a maximum baseline of 250 m with nearly complete coverage of the u,v plane. Interferometric resolution will be of the order of 20 micro-arcsec for the optical. ISLA will thus offer spatial resolution comparable or better than the intercontinental VLBI radio interferometers. ISLA's telescope efficiency will be many orders of magnitude better than comparable ground-based telescopes. The light collecting power of ISLA's interferometric telescopes will be orders of magnitudes greater than the future space interferometers under discussion. ISLA, being an aviation project and not a space project, can be realised in the typical time scale for the development of aviation: about 5 years. ISLA's cost for the whole observatory, including its movable ground station etc. will be of the order of a typical medium size ESA space mission. ISLA's lifetime will be in excess of many decades, as it can easily be maintained, modernised, repaired and improved. ISLA will become the origin of a new astronomical international organisation with worldwide participation. ISLA's telescopes will be of the greatest importance to all astronomical fields, as it will permit to study much fainter, much more distant objects with microscopic spatial resolution in wavelength regions inaccessible from ground. ISLA's many telescopes permit easily simultaneous observations at many wavelengths for rapidly varying objects, from continuously monitoring the surfaces of the planets in our solar system, surfaces of close-by stars, nuclei of galaxies to QSO's. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Prospects for astronomical development in South Africa

Because of its geographical location and (astronomically) excellent climate South Africa can make an unique contribution to international astronomical research. An assessment of recent developments in telescope technology has shown that an advanced technology telescope of 4m-class can be constructed which will out-perform most existing 4m-class telescopes. Detailed consideration is given to the construction of such a telescope for optical/infrared astronomy, the new science that this will enable and the selection of a site of sufficiently good quality to justify the erection of such a telescope. If a telescope of this nature is sited in southern Africa it would provide the premier astronomical facility in Africa for decades to come.     

Toward high spatial resolution in solar observations

To achieve high spatial resolution capability for IR solar observations, we suggest the use of a special mask placed before the entrance aperture of large conventional optical telescopes. Such a mask would match well the resolution of a non-redundant array and would provide safe operation of a large telescope used for solar observations. The proposed solution has the additional advantage of relatively low cost because already-existing optical telescopes are used.     

射电天文中焦面阵或多波束馈源的应用

焦面阵技术或者多波束馈源系统已经日益广泛地应用于现代射电望远镜，因为它可以充分地利用同一射电望远镜反射面所能提供的信息，在观测比射电望远镜方向瓣大得多的展源时数倍乃至数十倍地提高观测的速度；当存在大气层或电离层的起伏或不均匀影响观测成像质量时，可消除这种影响，提高观测质量；利用焦面阵各单个馈源接收到的信息的互相关，则可以实时监控射电望远镜的反射面、二次反射面、指向精度，从而降低地面上大射电望远镜或空间射电望远镜的精度要求和造价。目前焦面阵已经愈来愈广泛地配置在毫米波射电望远镜和大型射电望远镜的主要波段。对此作了一个较新和全面的评述，对焦面阵应用中的限制，包括相位误差的限制和性能价格比的考虑和可能的前景作了简要的介绍。还分析了在计划中的大型主动球反射面射电望远镜（即FAST）上，配置焦面阵的相应限制、问题和难点，提出了初步的建议，并给出经中英双方讨论后初步拟定的FAST频段、波束及低噪声放大器的配置。     

30m环形干涉望远镜

简要介绍了云南天文台对下一代地面大型天文光学望远镜进行的初步研究，依据这些研究结果我们提出研制一个新概念的大型地面望远镜：30m环形干涉望远镜（Ringy Interferometric Telescope），它既有单口径望远镜那样的直接成像能力和分辨率，又可以进行综合孔径模式的高分辨率成像，该计划显著地不同于经典的地面大型望远镜，对其中关键技术的研究正在积极进行之中。     

德令哈13.7m望远镜多波束接收机的运行

德令哈13.7 m望远镜是中国最重要的射电望远镜之一.望远镜自安装超导成像频谱仪以及采用飞行观测模式以来,运行近10 yr.在此期间,望远镜开展并完成大量的天文观测,累积了巨量的天文数据,取得了一系列重要的科研成果.介绍了超导成像频谱仪在天文观测中的运行状态,运行中疑难问题、故障现象及解决方案.详述了超导成像频谱仪各方面性能测试及多年来的性能分析,包含接收机噪声温度及望远镜系统噪声温度、镜像抑制比、接收机稳定性、波束性能等方面.列举了超导成像频谱仪更新发展方面的工作,包含本振功率自动化调整、边带分离型超导混频器预放大电路的更新、控制程序的优化等.总结经验和规律,承前启后,将过去的超导成像频谱仪的维护运行经验应用到之后新一代大规模接收机系统中.     

A Review of Daytime Atmospheric Optical Turbulence Profile Detection Technology

Atmospheric turbulence has been confirmed as the primary source affecting the quality of ground-based telescope image. To reduce the effect of atmosphere, a good site should be selected, and adaptive optics (AO) should be installed for the telescope. In general, the daytime atmospheric turbulence is more intense than that at night under the effect of solar radiation. Numerous solar telescopes have built AO systems worldwide. Conventional AO is only capable of improving the image quality in a small field of view, whereas it cannot satisfy the needs of a large field of view. The novel wide field adaptive optical system is capable of achieving a large field of view and high-resolution images, whereas the atmospheric turbulence profile should be accurately detected, which is the prerequisite and key parameter of the novel AO system. Moreover, the astronomical high-resolution technology in accordance with the turbulence imaging theory requires more detailed detection of turbulence. Accordingly, a brief review about the latest detection technology of the daytime optical turbulence profile is valuable for astronomical observations. Besides, the parameters of atmospheric turbulence are briefly introduced. Subsequently, SNODAR, SHABAR, MOSP, DIMM+, A-MASP, and other detection technologies of the stratified atmospheric turbulence for daytime are primarily presented, and the advantages and disadvantages of the different technologies are summarized.     

The Operation of Multi-beam Receiver of Delingha 13.7 m Telescope

Delingha 13.7 m telescope is one of the most important radio telescopes in China. Since installing the superconducting spectroscopic array receiver (SSAR) and adopting the On The Fly (OTF) observation mode, the telescope has operated for nearly 10 years. During this period, a large number of astronomical observation projects have been carried out and completed, a large amount of astronomical data have been accumulated, and a series of important scientific results have been achieved. This paper introduces the operating status of SSAR in astronomical observations, the problems in operations, as well as the fault phenomena and solutions. The performance test and performance analysis of SSAR are described in detail, including the receiver noise temperature and telescope system noise temperature, image rejection ratio (IRR), receiver stability, beam performance and so on. The updating and development of SSAR are listed, including the automatic adjustment of LO (Local Oscillator) power, the updating of pre-amplification circuits of the sideband separation superconducting mixer, and the optimization of control program, etc. This paper summarizes the experiences and rules, and connects the past with the future, for applying the experiences of the maintenance and operation of SSAR to the next-generation large-scale receiver system.     

Optical intensity interferometry with the Cherenkov Telescope Array

With its unprecedented light-collecting area for night-sky observations, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) holds great potential for also optical stellar astronomy, in particular as a multi-element intensity interferometer for realizing imaging with sub-milliarcsecond angular resolution. Such an order-of-magnitude increase of the spatial resolution achieved in optical astronomy will reveal the surfaces of rotationally flattened stars with structures in their circumstellar disks and winds, or the gas flows between close binaries. Image reconstruction is feasible from the second-order coherence of light, measured as the temporal correlations of arrival times between photons recorded in different telescopes. This technique (once pioneered by Hanbury Brown and Twiss) connects telescopes only with electronic signals and is practically insensitive to atmospheric turbulence and to imperfections in telescope optics. Detector and telescope requirements are very similar to those for imaging air Cherenkov observatories, the main difference being the signal processing (calculating cross correlations between single camera pixels in pairs of telescopes). Observations of brighter stars are not limited by sky brightness, permitting efficient CTA use during also bright-Moon periods. While other concepts have been proposed to realize kilometer-scale optical interferometers of conventional amplitude (phase-) type, both in space and on the ground, their complexity places them much further into the future than CTA, which thus could become the first kilometer-scale optical imager in astronomy.