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Design and construction of the moving optical systems of IRAIT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2006

Josep Colomé
Affiliation:
Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), E-08034 Barcelona, Spain email: colome@ieec.cat
Carlos Abia
Affiliation:
Dpto.Física Teórica y del Cosmos, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
Inma Domínguez
Affiliation:
Dpto.Física Teórica y del Cosmos, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
Jordi Isern
Affiliation:
Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), E-08034 Barcelona, Spain email: colome@ieec.cat Institut de Ciències de l'Espai (CSIC), E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
Gino Tosti
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Perugia, via A. Pascoli, I-06100Perugia, Italy
Maurizio Busso
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Perugia, via A. Pascoli, I-06100Perugia, Italy
Giuliano Nucciarelli
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Perugia, via A. Pascoli, I-06100Perugia, Italy
Fabio Roncella
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Perugia, via A. Pascoli, I-06100Perugia, Italy
Oscar Straniero
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio di Teramo, Via Maggini, I-64100 Teramo, Italy
Mauro Dolci
Affiliation:
INAF-Osservatorio di Teramo, Via Maggini, I-64100 Teramo, Italy
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The IRAIT (International Robotic Antarctic Infrared Telescope) project (Tosti et al. 2006) is based on a 80 cm aperture telescope to observe in the infrared range. It is due to start operations in spring 2008, several months after installation in Dome C (Antarctica). We describe the contributions made to such project by the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) and the University of Granada, whose participation has been mainly focused in developing the moving optical system for the secondary (M2) and tertiary (M3) mirrors of the telescope. Moving parts of the optical system provide focusing and chopping capabilities, implemented in M2, and a rotation mechanism, implemented in M3, allow observation in either Nasmyth foci. The work package includes the design and construction of both mirrors, the mechanical supports, the electronics and the control software, all prepared to work at the low temperatures at Antarctica. A Spanish company, NTE, was contracted to carry out the design and manufacture. Tests at low temperature and integration in the telescope were finished during summer 2006, before sending the telescope to Antarctica, scheduled by the end of the same year.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2007

References

Tosti, G., Busso, M., Nucciarelli, G., et al. , 2006, SPIE, 6267, 47Google Scholar