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WHAT? A Large Reflective Schmidt Telescope for the Antarctic Plateau

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2007

N. Epchtein ,
M. Candidi ,
W. Saunders  and
A.J. McGrath
W. Saunders
Affiliation:
Anglo-Australian Observatory, PO Box 196 Epping, NSW 1710, Australia
A.J. McGrath
Affiliation:
Anglo-Australian Observatory, PO Box 196 Epping, NSW 1710, Australia
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Abstract


We present a design concept for WHAT – the Wide-field Antarctic Horizontal Telescope – to take advantage of the unique possibilities of Antarctica for both optical and near infrared astronomy. The design is an 8 metre, wide-field, fixed-axis, all-reflective, f/4 Schmidt telescope. Prime and Cassegrain (or Gregorian) foci are provided, giving plate scales 150-1500 µm/'', over fields of view 3'-3°. Diffraction limited, NGSAO-corrected Kdark images are possible over arc-minute sized fields, over most of the sky. The sensitivity, resolution, field of view and cost all compare favourably with current or proposed space or ground-based telescopes.

Type
Research Article
Information
European Astronomical Society Publications Series , Volume 25: 1st ARENA Conference on "Large Astronomical Infrastructures at CONCORDIA, prospects and constraints for Antarctic Optical/IR Astronomy" , 2007 , pp. 261 - 264
Copyright
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2007

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