Link to mount performance, dome info, zones of avoidance, etc.
Active Optics System / Wavefront Sensing
LDT (formerly DCT) Selected Technical Publications & References (full papers)
Lowell Discovery Telescope
Azimuth-Elevation Mount, rotates freely within the enclosure
Primary Mirror:
Diameter: 4.3-m
Focal ratio: f/1.9
Thickness: 4 inches
Composition: Ultra-low expansion (ULE) glass, thin meniscus
Supported:
laterally by 36 pneumatic actuators mounted in a Schwesinger style configuration to minimize induced aberration.
axially by 120 electromechanical actuators
Secondary Mirror:
Diameter: 1.4-m
- Composition:GE124 fused quartz, lightweighted honeycomb
Supported by:
three axial definers
central radial defining hub
- tangent defining strap
During operations, the secondary is floated using modest partial vacuum (approximately -0.25 psig). The mirror is lifted to rest against the 3 axial defining points.
Ritchey–Chrétien (RC) Focus:
Effective focal ratio: f/6.1
Corrected (flattened) FOV: 30' diameter
Plate Scale: 8" / mm
Instrument Ports:
The RC Instrument Cube supports the simultaneous mounting of up to 5 different instruments.
Through Port: Sits behind the 2-element field-flattening corrector lens.
2 Large folded (side) ports fed by moveable fold mirrors. Usable FoV roughly 3 to 5 arcminutes.
2 Small folded (side) ports fed by moveable fold mirror / dichroic. Usable FoV roughly 3 to 5 arcminutes.