From: rbunge@access.digex.com (Robert Bunge)
Subject: Large Astronomical Project Listing (long)
Date: 4 Apr 92 01:02:50 GMT
Isn't the budget season fun? Here is the latest listing. Sooner than I
expected, but it seems that a lot is happening in the world of
astronomically large projects. New projects include MSX and 2MASS.
Updates on AFAX, SIRTF, ISO, SNO, DDS, WIYN, Group 70 and of course MMT. --
Bob Bunge. Send updates, corrections, comments, flames, etc. to
rbunge@access.digex.com.
Large Telescope Projects Either
Being
Considered or in the Works
(Not ever claimed to be complete)
Version 8.8
03/31/92
Part One
Optical Telescopes
* The Keck Telescope, a 10-meter on Mauna Kea being built by the
California Association for Research in Astronomy (CARA), comprised of
the University of California and Caltech. Primary mirror will have a
total of 36-segments. Saw first light in Nov. 1990 with nine segments.
As of 7 Nov., 1991 (dedication day), had 18 installed and aligned
segments. Expected to have all 36 installed by March, '92 (did this
happen?) with first scientific instruments arriving this summer.
Reported $94.2 million price tag.
* The Keck II Telescope. Ground broken in November. To be another 10-
meter instrument on Mauna Kea that would be used for interferometry
in company with the first 10-meter telescope. Projected cost is $93.3
million. Keck Foundation has donated $74.6 million. Asking NASA for
remaining $18.7 million (did this happen?). First light in 1996.
* Very Large Telescope (VLT), an array of four 8-meter mirrors that
will be able to work as interferometer. Thin meniscus mirrors with
active support much like the NTT are being cast by Schott Glassworks
in Mainz. First 8.4-meter diameter, 30cm thick blank cast, currently
being smoothed and edged to have a 8.2-meter diameter, 17.5cm
thickness, before going into the annealing oven for six months. Spun
during casting at six RPM so to have a focal length of 28.5-meters
(f/3.4). Other mirrors are in the works. To be fine ground and figured
in France. Telescope structures and hydrostatic bearings being
constructed by a consortium of three Italian companies. Planned for
Cerro Paranal, Chile. European Southern Observatory. First light
1995. Apparent full funding. Have started site work with first arrival
of telescope parts at site scheduled for end of 1994.
* Gemini - NOAO/UK/Canada is planning a double 8-meter project, with
one telescope in the Northern Hemisphere and another under southern
skies. Expected to use spun-cast F/1.8 mirrors from University of
Arizona Mirror Lab. Northern site to be Mauna Kea and southern site
near Cerro Tololo (Cerro Pachon). Northern half received $4 million
start up funding in 1992 with additional $12 million in 1993, with plans
to start construction early next year. Recently recommended this
telescope be optimized for infrared work (2 to 10um). Gemini is
expected to cost about $80 million. First light in 1997. Bahcall report
recommends that southern telescope should be optimized for optical
and near-UV. Expected cost of $55 million. Canadians are in at 15
percent. Current partners apparently searching for last 10 percent
(the Aussies?).
* Magellan 6.5-meter telescope. Partners include the Carnegie
Institute of Washington and the University of Arizona. $43 million
cost. John Hopkins dropped out in April. To be built at Las Campanas,
Chile, starting in 1991 with first light in 1996. Arizona spun-cast
mirror. Scaled back to 6.5-meters from 8-meters.
* SUBARU, The Japanese National Telescope or JNLT is a 8.2-meter
instrument with a "meniscus" mirror supported on about active 400
actuators. To be located on Mauna Kea. Approved by Ministry of
Education, construction to start in July. 8.31-meter monolithic mirror
blank to be cast by Corning using ULE glass. Weight, 60,000 lbs, 8-
inches thick. Three years to manufacture and another three years to
grind, polish and figure. Cost about $304 million ($1=125 yen). First
light in 1999.
* The 'Deutsches Grossteleskop,' or German Large Telescope. A
12-meter reflector consisting of a central single 8-meter mirror and
several 2-meter sectorial segments. To include both active and
adaptive optics. Cassegrain focus will be primary data collection
point (unlike most other projects which also have a Nasmyth focus).
Location and date of first light unknown. Construction time of 5-6
years.
* The Columbus Project, twin 8.4-meter telescope to be jointly funded
by the University of Arizona and the Italian National Observatory --
Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory -- and to be located on Mt. Graham
in southern Arizona. Expected cost is at least $60 million. Arizona is
talking to either two or three possible partners. Rumors include the
University of Toronto (any new eon this?).
* WIYN, University of Wisconsin, Indiana University, Yale University and
the National Optical Astronomy Observatory's (NOAO), 3.5-meter
telescope expected to be finished on Kitt Peak in early 1994. Uses
UofA spun cast mirror. Fine grinding in process with figuring to be
done using an "active bar lap," or a linear stressed lap. Replacing the
#1 36-inch telescope.
* MMT Conversion. The University of Arizona and the Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory to replace MMT's six 72-inch mirrors
(4.5-meter aperture) with a single spun-cast 6.5-meter for $15.5
million. Casting in progess. Primary will be f/1.25, three secondaries
will give f/5.4, f/9, and f/15, the latter with a chopping secondary for
infrared work. The f/5.4 focus will have a 3-element refractive
corrector to give a 1 degree field of view. Current MMT will cease
operations in January, 1994. First light planned for late 1994 at F/9.
F/15 and F/5.4 to be operational in 1995. Glass is in the oven and
under heat as you read this. Reported that oven operators are being
fueled with chocolate cookies (what a great idea!). Related
information: the 1.8-meter F/1 VATT mirror has recently been completed
with a surface that departs from a perfect paraboloid by 17 nm rms.
(NTT mirror achieves 12.7 nm rms only through active mirror support).
* ARC, University of Chicago, University of Washington and Washington
State, New Mexico State University and Princeton. 3.5-meter telescope
using one of three 3.5 meter spun-cast blanks produced by the UofA
Mirror Lab. Figuring of mirror is NOT complete (wrongly reported in my
last report), recently transfered mirror from Norm Cole's shop back to
UofA mirror lab to be figured on the stressed lap machine. Located at
Sunspot, New Mexico. Hoped first light at end of year. Testing used a
smaller, substitute mirror.
* Weapons Laboratory. U.S. Air Force, Kirkland Air Force Base in
Albuquerque, New Mexico (AFWL). To be resting place of one of the three
Roger Angel spun-cast 3.5-meter mirror. Mirror was been generated on
the Large Optical Generator (LOG) at the UofA Mirror Lab and is being
polished and figured on their stressed lap machine. Recently achieved
target surface 28nm RMS from perfect paraboloid, down from 120nm this
fall. Mirror Lab expects to continue figuring to see just how good of a
surface the stressed lap method can make. First light in 1991.
* SST, or Spectroscopic Survey Telescope, being built by the
University of Texas and Penn State at McDonald Observatory in western
Texas. To be made up of 85 1-meter spherical mirrors on a rotating
mount pointed 30 degrees from zenith. Twin detectors that will track
objects independently will allow this telescope to collect spectra from
declinations from -5 to +60, down to magnitude 22. Cost is about $9
million. Funding almost complete and at least a dozen mirrors have
been ground. (Updates on this?)
* Digital Sky Survey or DDS. 2.5-meter alt-azimuth will scan sky to
23rd magnitude in 2.5 degree strips with clocking CCDs as sky rotates
past slowly driven telescope. Current plans call for imaging of area
around north galactic pole, with some other areas targeted (this
apparently isn't settled yet) in four colors using 30 2k x 2k CCDs.
Buying CCDs now. Will also measure redshifts for about 1 million
galaxies and 100,000 quasers by taking 600 spectra at one time. Will
collect 20 terabytes of data. Located at Sunspot? Funded by
Princeton Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Chicago and
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, operated by ARC. ~$25 million
total (including operations) cost with only partial funding firm, with $8
or $10 million from the Sloan foundation. Reported to have ordered
Ohara E6 mirror with F/2.2 focal ratio.
* Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) 6-meter upgrade. A new
ultra low expansion (ULE) glass mirror blank has been cast for the
6-meter alt-altazimuth telescope of the USSR Special Astrophysical
Observatory (SAO) in the Caucasus. Installation in 1993?
* SOFIA, or Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy. Boeing
747SP aircraft mounted 2.5-meter reflector. Replacement for the
Gerald P. Kuiper Airborne Observatory. To fly 100 8-hour flights a
year. To observe 30 to 300 microns. First light in 1993(?). Apparently
budgeted fiscal 1992. $230 million cost. Sponsored by NASA and the
German Science Ministry (BMFT).
* LEST, or Large Earth-based Solar Telescope. 2.4-meter aperture to
use adaptive opticals to increase resolution of images and spectra.
To be located in the Canary Islands. Ten countries, (who?), including
U.S. who will contribute $15 million, about one third of construction
and operation cost. Was this funded?
* SOAR, or Southern Observatory for Astrophysical Research.
University of North Carolina and Columbia University with operation by
NOAO with all three splitting time. $20 million 4-meter telescope for
Cerro Pachon. Completion in mid-1990s. Based on NTT, 4.07-meter
primary that is 20 cm thick on active support. Two quick change
instruments at Nasmyth focus. Glass for primary ordered. No planned
F/ratio yet.
* Cambridge-Cambridge Telescope, or Cambridge^2. Harvard (CfA) in U.S.
and Cambridge in UK are teaming up to build a 4-meter class project.
Similar to other projects with fibre-fed and large field spectroscopes.
To be used to boost red-shift surveys and other large, long-term
projects. Site in south, probably Cerro Pachon. Some US money, about
$3 million, raised toward a $24 million goal to cover construction and
operation endowment.
* Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). To map entire sky in near
infrared using two dedicated 1.5-meter class telescopes. Exposure
time would be about one second giving magnitude limit around 15.
Project details currently being defined; prototype camera under
construction. Data reduction to be done at IPAC. NASA and NSF
funding.
Part Two
Radio Telescopes
(Land and Space)
* VLBA, or Very Long Baseline Array. Ten 25-meter antennas located
all over continental U.S., Hawaii and Virgin Islands. 8000 mile baseline.
The $70 million price includes a central signal processing system
called the correlator and a major computing facility for
post-processing collected data. Headquarters to be in Socorro, N.M.,
jointly managed with the Very Large Array. Project is about half done.
"First light" was couple years ago, regular operations expected in 1992
(when?).
* VSOP/MUSES-B. A Japanese (ISAS) 10-meter radio telescope satellite.
To be launched into high Earth orbit with intermediate inclination,
perigee at 1,000km, apogee height of 20,000km. Weight: about 800kg. To
operate three years. Intended to work in conjunction with VLBA much of
the time. Planned 1995 launch.
* Radioastron. CIS 10-meter radio telescope satellite to be launched
into very high Earth orbit with a high inclination. Intended to work in
conjunction with VLBA and/or several CIS 70-meter VLBI antennas.
Reported to be launched 1994. Threaten by recent events.
* GBT, or Green Bank Telescope. One hundred-meter, fully steerable,
alt-azimuth off-axis obstruction free telescope to be located in
Greenbank, West Virginia. Active surface control is hoped to be able to
allow the surface to be good enough for observations at a wavelength
of 3 millimeters. Ground breaking was May 1, 1991 with 1995 completion.
Cost; $75 million. Replacement for 300 foot telescope.
* MMA, or Millimeter Array. Proposed to NSF, awaiting funding. Highly
recommended by the Bahcall report. Forty transportable 8-meter
dishes in array with baselines from 70 meters up to three kilometers,
to operate in millimeter bands (.9mm to 9mm). Imaging. $115 million
cost. Probably to be located in Arizona or New Mexico in a high, dry
site.
* The Berkeley Illinois Maryland Array (BIMA) is being expanded from
three to nine (with NSF funding the last three) dishes of 6-meters, all
operating in millimeter bands (to 1mm). Assembly underway. Upgrade
expected to be finished by 1994. Located at Hat Creek, CA.
* Owens Valley RaiAo Observatory Millimeter Array is being expanded
from three to five antennas of 10.4-meters. To operate in all
millimeter bands (to 1mm), the last coming on line in August 1993. Talks
continue with a possible partner in the addition of a sixth antenna.
* Max Planck Sub-millimeter telescope to go on Mt. Graham, built by
thebands (to 1mm), the last coming on line in August 1993. Talks
continue Max Planck Institute of Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany
andwith a possible partner in the addition of a sixhf antenna. the
University of Arizona. The telescope is finished and awaits completion
of structure.
* Arecibo Upgrade. A full size Gregorian subreflector system which
will provide a bandwidth low-loss feed system and provide an effective
200-meter aperture at up to 8 GHz observing frequency. Also a 10-
meter high ground screen to reduce noise at zenith. Funded by NASA
and NSF.
* Submillimeter Array, or SMA. The Smithsonian Astrophysical
Observatory (CfA) will create an array of six dishes, each 6-meters in
diameter, with a maximum baseline of about 500 meters, operating up to
900 GHz (330 microns). Negotiations underway to locate SMA in the
"millimeter valley" on Mauna Kea, where site studies are now underway.
Bids for antenna contract are due in March 1992. Expected cost is
about $40 million.
* Upgrade of the AT (Australia Telescope) with 6x22m dishes on a 3
kilometer straight EW track. New dish at Siding Spring 115 kilometers
away with the intention to link to other Australian dishes (Parkes,
Tidbinbilla DSN, others as available).
* VLA extension and repair. Adding four new telescopes and ancillary
hardware to increase resolution. Also to fix up the world's biggest
(and one of THREE in the world?) astronomical railroad. $32 million.
* CAT at Cambridge (UK), or the Cosmic Anisotropy Telescope. Three
element intermerometer of new type design, intended to map the Cosmic
Background radiation on scales of about 1 degree. It will operate
from about in three bands from 12 to 18 GHz to remove foreground
contamination. Cost about 3 million pounds, funded by SERC. Completion
in 1993?
Part 3
Optical Interferometers
* Astrometric Interferometry Mission (AIM). U.S. space-based $250
million project. Desired to have 3 to 30-millionth of an arcsecond
accuracy. To observe 0.1 to 1um. More details? Was this funded?
* Infrared-Optical Telescope Array (IOTA). Two element expanding to
three fairly quickly. Design planned for Mount Hopkins with 0.45-meter
apertures. 35 and 15-meter NE-SE L shaped baseline. Visible and IR.
Completion in 1992. Sponsors include; Smithsoniam Astrophysical
Observatory (SAO), Harvard University, University of Massachusetts,
University of Wyoming, MIT (Lincoln). Cost unknown.
* CHARA, or Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy, operated by
Georgia State University with engineering support provided by the
Georgia Tech Research Institute is building a seven element array
arranged in a Y shape with a maxium baseline of 400 meters. One-meter
aperture mirrors with limiting magnitude of 12 and perhaps down to 14
as adaptive optics technology matures. Limiting resolution to be 0.16
milliarcseconds. Site was to be selected this summer, New Mexico was
favored. $10.3 million cost with about $0.5 million coming from NSF and
$5 million from private donations. Completion set for 1995.
* Big Optical Array (BOA), will have six 24-inch telescopes arranged in
a Y shape with a diameter of at least 250 meters. Planned by the Naval
Research Laboratories (and others?). Internal funding, cost $10 - 16
million. To be built somewhere on Anderson Mesa near Flagstaff, Az
with completion planned for 1993.
* USNO Astrometric (Optical) Interferometer, or AOI. Being built by U.S.
Naval Observatory with first light in 1993. Four elements, 0.75m
aperture with a baseline of 5 to 40 meters. Currently under design.
Location to be announced. Cost: $12 million.
* COAST (Cambridge [England] Optical Aperture Synthesis Telescope) 4
movable telescopes 40cm diameter, baselines up to 100 meters; under
construction. Recently reported first fringes using two mirrors.
* SUSI (Sydney University Stellar Interferometer), at Narrabri NSW
Australia, dedicated last March. First fringe (?). Uses 14cm
apertures(to minimize seeing effects and maximize accuracy), two
mirrors at a time, baselines 5-640 meters north-south (the longest of
any ground based instrument); purpose to measure angular diameter of
stars down with a visual magnitude of 8. Plans to eventually add an
east-west baseline for imaging (which requires at least 3 telescopes).
* CHARON (I3T - Interferometere 3 telescopes - roughly, in french);
Observatiore de Cote d'Azur (OCA); Three 0.26-meter apertures on
north, south and west baselines variable from 10 to 140 meters;
visible; under construction for completion 1992.
* GI3T; Observatoire de Cote d'Azur (OCA); Three x 1.5m apertures on
north, south and west baselines variable from 9 to 62 meters; visible
to near IR; under construction for completion 1991. Is this finished?
Part 4
Space Projects
* MSX. SDIO (Starwars) project. Eleven or 12 instruments on large
platform to conduct all sky survey with 4 imagers and 5 spectrographs
in UV, optical and IR. October 1993 (!) launch, 5 year mission. Data
archive WILL be made available. All sky survey with some pointed
observations. Polar, LEO (897 km) orbit. Instruments built, being
tested. Spectrographs to have 10 A resolution. This information is
not classified. Apertures and cost unknown or classified.
* HST/WFPCII upgrade. To include Jitter/Gyro/solar panel fix. Planned
(late) 1993 (or later) replacment of the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide
Field Planetary (WFPC) camera. New filters and CCDs. Planned before
launch of HST, WFPC II will include corrective optics for spherical
abberration.
* HST/COSTAR upgrade, or Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial
Replacement. To replace the High-Speed Photometer (HSP) with a dummy
instrument that will hold a device to swing reflective corrective
optics into place over the focal planes of the FOS, FOC and GHRS
instruments. Primary contractor is Ball Aerospace Corp., two sets of
optics, one made by Tinsley, the other by UTOS with first pieces
delivered in December, 1991 and all mirrors finished by March, 1992.
Optical throughput of 56 percent at 1216A and 72 percent at 6328A. On
schedule for May, 1993 delivery to Goddard for testing. Four different
groups will do independent tests. About $60 million budget. Proposed
for (late) 1993 launch. Also some talk of adding a photometer to
replace HSP.
* HST/STIS, or Space Telescope Imaging Spectrometer, HST upgrade. To
replace FOC and HRS in function in single unit. Both spectroscopic and
imaging. To now fly after NICMOS/NIC. Corrective optics. $110 million
budget has reportedly recently been cut to $85 million in order to help
fund COSTAR.
* HST/NIC, or Near Infrared Camera, formly NICMOS, HST replacement
instrument for imaging (Spectrometer may have been completely
dropped). To be flown after WFPC II flight. Infrared to 2.5 microns.
Corrective optics. $100 million budget(?). Has also reportedly
suffered about the same funding cutback as STIS to help fund COSTAR.
* ISO, Infrared Space Observatory. ESA mission. Launch has been set
back by technical problems to mid 1994. 70 cm aperture. Fully cooled,
lifetime should be 18 months, and there are four instruments for
spectroscopy and imaging from 3 to 150 microns. 24 hour, highly
elliptic orbit to get apogee above radiation belts. Might ask NASA to
run one of three observing shifts during 18 month flight, with US
observers getting the time (much like IUE). Nice picture in March 30
Space News.
* Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). Reported to have been
struck into two pieces by the NASA budget axe. Asked for $215 million
in 1992, but received $151 million. New mission dubbed "AXAF-E," and
would go into high Earth orbit instead of LEO, but this will limit
mission life to about five years. Prime contractor is TRW, to operated
from CfA. Scaled down first mission may be launched with a Titan 4 in
1997.
* Space Infrared Telescope Facility, or SIRTF. This project is being
de-scoped and seems to be changing by the day. Being scaled down to
explorer size. 1997 start with project management at JPL and
instruments built by three different teams. Had a .9-m aperture and
will be optimized for maximum sensitivity from 3 to 700 microns. $1.3
billion project with earliest launch date of 2005. To use newly
developed detectors. Planned five year lifetime in high Earth orbit
(10^5 km). Likely delays if not cancellation yet to come.
* Planetary Telescope Mission. One meter telescope which was
initiated as US-German project but has turned into a ESA study. Will
also carry a piggy-back extreme-UV telescope with grazing incidence
optics. Main telescope to have the following instruments, Imaging
Spectrometer, CCD Camera with an field of 105 arcseconds and a
resolution near or better than 0.1 arcseconds, UV Imaging
Spectrograph, Photon Counting Camera with 0.025 arcsecond resolution
at 100 nm and a Infrared spectrometer
* Astro-D. Joint Japan-U.S. X-ray astronomy telescope satellite
mission scheduled for launch in Feb. 1993. Responsibilites are split
between: ISAS (the Institute for Space and Aeronautical Science); The
University of Tokyo; Goddard Space Flight Center; MIT and Penn State.
Four sets of conical foil mirrors to image X-rays onto four detectors.
Coverage up to 12 KeV. Astro-D will offer non-dispersive
spectroscopy in the X-ray range 3-4 orders of magnitude more
sensitive than the FPCS on Einstein, and a factor of 3-4 higher
resolution than the ROSAT mission. Likely that Astro-D will preceed
its technical competitors, AXAF and XMM, by nearly a decade (current
dates for AXAF and XMM are 1998.)
* Lomonosov. Commonwealth of Independent States astrometric mission
similar to Hipparcos. Sterberg Astronomical Institude (Moscow) and
Vavilov State Optical Institude. Scheduled for launch in 1997. 29cm
schmitt telescope to provide positions for 400,000 to a magitude of 10,
with an accuracy similar to Hipparcos.
* XXM. ESA Cornerstone 2000 mission. 3000 sq. cm X-ray mission with
parallel 30-cm optical telescope to provide simulataneous optical and
UV photometry. Groups involved include: EPIC from the UK, Thomson from
France, and Max-Planck. Many sub-groups contributing, including some
U.S.. Launch date and cost?
* Small class Explorers (SMEX) (Payload < 200kg)
* SWAS, Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite, is being developed at
SAO. Its purpose is to map spectral lines in the submillimeter.
Target line at 557 GHz (Water). Other targets include 492 GHz (C I),
487 GHz (O2) and 550 GHz (12CO). Last heard official launch date was
September, 1995 using a Pegasus.
* Delta class Explorers
* X-ray Timing Explorer (XTE). To study "soft" X-rays (1 to 100-KeV)
is developed at NASA/Goddard and MIT. Currently plan to use the
same explorer platform as EUVE with 1995 shuttle mission to swap
out instruments.
* EUVE, or Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer. Berkeley. To survey sky
last unexplored frontier, waveband from 100 to 900 A. Launch set
for May 28 on Delta II. Spacecraft has been sent to KSC.
* Lyman Observatory. Formerly FUSE, or Far Ultraviolet
Spectroscopy Explorer. To make spectroscopic observations
shorter than 120 nm. Will bridge wavelength gap between HST and
AXAF. $70 million with 1999 launch. Suppose to fly on XTE's platform
(guidance and communications), but Bahcall report recommends sooner
launch on separate platform
* Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE). To study the isotopic and
elemental abundances of cosmic rays across a broad range of
wavelengths. 1997 launch.
Part 5
Other Ground Based Telescopes
* Cosmic-ray telescope (Fly's Eye). Follow-up to current Fly's Eye
telescope, with factor of 10 increase in sensitivity and better
resolution. Energy range of 10^19 to 10^20 eV. $15 million.
* LIGO, or Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory.
Two four kilometer long detectors to attempt to discover gravity
waves. Need third (hopefully in Europe) to determine direction of
source. Caltech/MIT to build, but open to national community. Also
involved: Stanford, University of Colorado and Syracuse. Cost: $211
million including first set of detectors. Funding iffy, but some from
NSF. Time scale? Apparent high emotions over this one!
* Super-Kamiokade - Neutrino detector 1 km underground in Japan's
Gifu Prefecture. Institute of Cosmic Ray Research of Tokyo
University. 50,000 tons of water with 11,200 photomultiplier tubes.
Estimated cost of $64 million. Completion in 1996.
* SNO, or Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. Under construction in
Creighton Mine of INCO Ltd. in Sudbury, Canada. At least 13 partners
(too many to list here!). $45 million cost. Supposed to have the least
amount of radiation of anywhere on the Earth(!). Completion in 1994?
Part 6
Large Amateur Projects
* Group 70. An 1.8-meter amateur optical telescope with a planned
configuration of a classical Cassegrain (f/3 primary, f/10 overall) on a
computer-controlled alt-azimuth fork mounting. Grinding started
February 8. Looking at four sites in CA. Projected cost about $1
million. Hoped Internet access by 1998. Lots of volunteer work and
donations for funding.
* AAC, or Amateur Astronomy Centre. Near Lancashire, England. Large
amateur based project including planetarium is building a 1-meter
cassegrain and currently has a .76-meter newtonian (dobsonian).
* LEAP (Lake Erie Astronomical Project) II. Norm Oberly of Cleveland,
Ohio is currently building grinding machine to work a ~40-inch fused
quartz blank. In early 1970s, Oberly made a 31-inch F/7 mirror, (LEAP
I)that is now the heart of the telescope at Warren Rupp Observatory,
Mansfield, Ohio.
* NPO, or National Public Observatory, Alpine, TX.. Maybe site of up to
ten 2-meter telescopes with many more planned. Any information out
there on this? Updates? Costs, etc.?
-------------------------------------------------------------
Compiled by Robert Bunge. Published about five times a year, or as
needed. Culled from various newspaper, magazine articles, interviews
with project scienists, the Bahcall report and with the wonderfull
cooperation of the readers of USENET sci.astro. Please send
additions, updates and corrections to the address below. Copyright,
Robert Bunge, 1992, but distribution, display and publication in
newsletters, free of charge, is highly encouraged as long as due credit
is given and it is done so in it's entirety.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Robert Bunge
15210 Emory Ct.
Bowie, MD 20716
Ph (301)390-7298 (H)
(202)543-3991 (W)
Internet: rbunge@access.digex.com
or: rbunge%access.digex.com@uu.psi.com
--------------------------------------------------------
"We are trying to be responsible citizens and provide the nation
with somthing that it can afford." -- Charles Pellerin, director of
the astrophysics division at NASA headquarters in reference to
AXAF. From Space News.