Bisdee Tier Optical Astronomy Observatory
Encyclopedia
The Bisdee Tier Optical Astronomy Observatory is an astronomical facility being built by the University of Tasmania (UTAS
) on Bisdee Tier, Spring Hill, Tasmania. The observatory will be a host for 1.27 m optical telescope.
The mount for the telescope is equatorial. Design consist of a folded Cassegrain reflector
with f/9 and 40 arcminute of corrected field of view, image scale on focal plane is 55 micrometres/arcsec.
Telescope beside standard Cassegrain focus has also two Nasmyth focal stations for additional instrumentation, switched with a remote control.
The telescope is constructed at Mr Harlingten's workshops in Norfolk, Vancouver and Tucson, Arizona
. Worth 2 million Australian dollars was donated to the University of Tasmania by anonymous businessman.
The telescope will be eventually automatized with remote control via microwave link from University campus allowing control from all over the world by internet.
was heavily light polluted by the nearby city of Hobart, this led to a need for choosing new site for the astronomical observations from Tasmania.
Location in Southern Midlands region of Tasmania was chosen, under Dr John Greenhill's advisory, for its low light-pollution, low atmospheric turbulence (seeing
) and good weather compared to average Tasmanian conditions.
The observatory is at elevation of 646 metres and located about 1 hour drive from Hobart.
Median seeing at the site is about 1.3 arcsec.
The first light will be taken in mid 2011.
events. Observations of Magellanic Clouds and Milky Way structures will be carried out. The large database of photometric measurements will give the opportunity for studying variable stars. Fast photometer will be used for measuring short time occultations of small celestial bodies.
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
) on Bisdee Tier, Spring Hill, Tasmania. The observatory will be a host for 1.27 m optical telescope.
Telescope
The telescope has a diameter of 1.27 m (50 in). The primary mirror made from fused silica 8 in (203.2 mm) thick.The mount for the telescope is equatorial. Design consist of a folded Cassegrain reflector
Cassegrain reflector
The Cassegrain reflector is a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror, often used in optical telescopes and radio antennas....
with f/9 and 40 arcminute of corrected field of view, image scale on focal plane is 55 micrometres/arcsec.
Telescope beside standard Cassegrain focus has also two Nasmyth focal stations for additional instrumentation, switched with a remote control.
The telescope is constructed at Mr Harlingten's workshops in Norfolk, Vancouver and Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. Worth 2 million Australian dollars was donated to the University of Tasmania by anonymous businessman.
The telescope will be eventually automatized with remote control via microwave link from University campus allowing control from all over the world by internet.
Dome
The main focus of dome design is its thermal properties - the aim is to maximally lower air turbulence generated by the building and the telescope and to ensure the telescope temperature is as close to ambient temperature as possible. The dome has low thermal capacity with forced ventilation. The control building is located in observers quarters lying in distance from the dome, connected to it with the open-sided, roofed corridor.Site
Previous, UTAS owned, observatory on Mt. CanopusCanopus Hill Observatory
The Canopus Hill Observatory is an optical astronomy observatory belonging to the University of Tasmania , It is located approximately 12 km from Hobart in Tasmania, Australia and is a host of Canopus 1 m telescope...
was heavily light polluted by the nearby city of Hobart, this led to a need for choosing new site for the astronomical observations from Tasmania.
Location in Southern Midlands region of Tasmania was chosen, under Dr John Greenhill's advisory, for its low light-pollution, low atmospheric turbulence (seeing
Seeing
The word seeing can mean more than one thing:* In common usage, the word means visual perception* Astronomical seeing, the blurring effects of air turbulence in the atmosphere...
) and good weather compared to average Tasmanian conditions.
The observatory is at elevation of 646 metres and located about 1 hour drive from Hobart.
Median seeing at the site is about 1.3 arcsec.
Instruments
- In 2011 mosaic 8192×8192 pixels OGLE-III camera will be installed with collaboration with Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLEOgleOgle may refer to:*ogle, to stareas, or from, a surname* The Ogle family of Northumberland, England** Benjamin Ogle, Governor of Maryland from 1798 to 1801** Sir Chaloner Ogle, 1st Baronet , British Admiral...
) team in the primary folded Cassegrain focus. Camera consist of 8 thin SITe 2048×4096 CCD chips. The pixel scale is 0.27 arcsec/pixel giving 37 by 37 ft (11,277.6 by 11,277.6 mm) field of view. Readout noise is 6-9 electron at gain of 1.3 e/ADU with Readout time of 98 seconds. - additional camera (SITe 512x512 pixel CCD) will be moved from Mt. CanopusCanopus Hill ObservatoryThe Canopus Hill Observatory is an optical astronomy observatory belonging to the University of Tasmania , It is located approximately 12 km from Hobart in Tasmania, Australia and is a host of Canopus 1 m telescope...
after its closure. - 10 channel filter wheel
- fibre-fed Coude spectrograph with SITe 1024x1024 CCD camera working with two modes: low (R~1000) and high resolution (R~20,000)
- high speed EM CCD photometer
The first light will be taken in mid 2011.
Science
The main scientific goal of the new telescope will be survey and follow-up observations of microlensingGravitational microlensing
Gravitational microlensing is an astronomical phenomenon due to the gravitational lens effect. It can be used to detect objects ranging from the mass of a planet to the mass of a star, regardless of the light they emit. Typically, astronomers can only detect bright objects that emit lots of light ...
events. Observations of Magellanic Clouds and Milky Way structures will be carried out. The large database of photometric measurements will give the opportunity for studying variable stars. Fast photometer will be used for measuring short time occultations of small celestial bodies.
