Re: [APML] 48 Inch Schmidt Telescopes

[Philip Perkins <philip@astrocruise.com>]

Chris,

Did you get any impression of how they accommodate the substantially curved 
focal plane with CCD chips?  My guess is that they use a field flattener, 
but even so I would expect the usable image area to be much less than when 
the instrument was used with film to produce the sky survey.  I wouldn't be 
surprised if the instrument is being used for a rather different purposes 
these days as well.

--Philip

At 17:52 01/08/02 -0400, you wrote:
>Jerry -
>
>Jean Mueller gave me a tour of the 48" Schmidt in March where she showed me
>what has been done to the instrument.  The scope is all CCD, all the
>darkroom equipment was taken out(now there is a wall rack full of computers)
>and it is now being operated remotely.  No one has to be in the dome
>anymore.  With the right connection a user can open the dome and operate the
>scope from basically any place in the world.
>
>I have her email address if you want it.  Contact me off list.
>
>Chris


Philip Perkins - philip@astrocruise.com
Wiltshire UK & Luberon France
Astrocruise - http://www.astrocruise.com


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