The Galileo project

The Galileo project comprises the design, building, and operation of a 3.5 m Italian telescope the main elements (diameter, mechanical structure, active optics, etc.) of which consist of a duplication of the ESO New Technology Telescope (NTT). Modifications have been introduced in order to allow, beyond thef/11 Nasmyth foci, a prime focusf/2.2 station, a trappedf/6 focus, and a small Cassegrainf/20 facility. Other changes with respect to the NTT have been made to the control and data acquisition system, and to the service building. The telescope could be operational at the end of 1992.Paper presented at the Symposium on the JNLT and Related Engineering Developments, Tokyo, November 29–December 2, 1988.