The telescope will have a modern computer-based control system, capable of being pre-programmed and used in a robotic observatory, as well as controlled in real-time by a local or remote telescope operator. One aspect of control that is important to Winer for NEO observations is guiding, to ensure that tracking on rapidly-moving targets is accurate. Telescope control software delivered by the telescope vendor will enable Winer to use its tools for reading the MPC NEO Confirmation Page and scheduling observations based on the hourly motion of each object given on that page, with automatic telescope positioning based on the time an observation is actually executed.
The telescope should also have a wavefront sensor to maintain focus. Even though most integrations are likely to be short (one to a few minutes at most) and the secondary mirror truss structure will be athermalized to help maintain focus, experience with the Winer 20 telescope, that used carbon fiber struts in a very well athermalized secondary truss, clearly demonstrated the need for additional focusing throughout the night to maintain optimum focus. We anticipate the need to refocus, if only slightly, every few images throughout each night in an optical design employing fast f-ratios.
Optical collimation procedures will be simple, and tools and procedures for collimation will be deliverables under the contract with the telescope vendor. If the secondary assembly is mounted on a hexapod, an increasingly common practice for telescopes in the 2-m class, then interfaces will be provided by the telescope vendor to permit incorporating collimation detector chips in the focal plane.
Camera calibration will be specified in configuration pages in the software. Although the telescope will be designed for robotic operation, it will also be designed for easy maintenance and repair by humans, so that, for example, a human eye will have access to various points of the optical path to determine what is happening at various stages.
Overall, the telescope will be designed for reliable, robotic operation as an NEO orbit follow-up imaging telescope. In comparison to many research telescopes, it will be relatively easy to fabricate, quick to commission, and easy to maintain and repair.
It is important to note that the combination of a wide field, robust aperture, and proper sampling of the seeing by the choice of detector pixel size do not limit use of the telescope to NEO follow-up astrometry. On the contrary, this combination makes the telescope extremely attractive for a wide variety of research and public outreach programs when a filter wheel with a variety of standard astronomical filters is available. Our plan is to make a minimum of Sloan Digital Sky Survey filters transformable to the standard system available. The Science Advisory Committee, with science representatives of all the partners, will determine the final filter complement and the major requirements of the control system.
Last modified: January 3, 2008.