RC Optical Systems

RCOS at Kitt Peak, Arizona...

July 17th, 2002

All photos by Brad Ehrhorn

View of the Kitt Peak Observatory complex taken from the "viewing platform" of the Mayall 4-meter dome. The 4-meter is housed in an 8 story tall dome.

The WIYN 3.5 meter...

Note the many hydraulic actuators on the back plate. The WIYN telescope has a "thin" mirror which cannot support its own weight as it moves around the sky. They hydraulic actuators are used to stabilize and support the mirror so this it will hold its figure. This is not to be confused with adaptive optics but is called *active optics*. The WIYN 3.5-m scope was built in the 90's and considered to be "state-of-art".

The Mayall 4-meter...

This telescope is the largest on Kitt Peak. The Mayall 4-meter was completed in late 1970 and is an engineering marvel considering it's 8 story tall pier and dome. It was feared that the better seeing WIYN 3.5-m would outclass the older 4.0-m. But modifications to the dome ventilation system allowed the 4-meter to stay competitive.

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RC Optical Systems, Inc. An Arizona Corporation
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