In 1991,Keck Telescope ICompleted in 1996Keck Telescope IICompleted[1]。If astronomers want to use the telescope, they must obtain the approval of the committee in advance and operate the telescope with the assistance of the committee. Generally, astronomersHawaiiVameia(Waimea) Astronomical Observation Headquarters collects data remotely[1]。[2]
geographical position
W. M. Keck telescope is located atU.S.AHawaiiMauna Kea At the top of the mountain, 4270 meters above sea level, there are more than a dozen telescopes[1]。Because it is inthe pacific oceanIt is very stable in the air, so it has high resolution, and its comprehensive observation ability is nothubble space telescope under[1]。
Equipment structure
Each telescope is 8 stories high and weighs 300 tons[1]。The overall mirror diameter of Keck telescope is 10 meters, and the diameter of each mirror is 1.8 meters, while the thickness is only 10 centimeters. Through the active optical support system, the mirror surface can maintain extremely high accuracy[1]。The telescope has three main equipment:Near infrared cameraHigh resolutionCCD detectorandHigh dispersion spectrometer。The astronomical observation accuracy of Keck telescope can reach the level of nanometer[1]。
The huge mirror of the Kenet telescope makes it unusual to use. Since the aperture of the telescope cannot be expanded indefinitely, the most practical way is to combine some small lenses into a large onecaliber's telescope[1]。The key reform of Keck telescope is to adopt this system. Its main lens is composed of 36 small hexagonal lenses with a diameter of 1.8m. The combined effect is equivalent to that of a 10 meterReflecting telescope[1]。A computer arranges all the lenses within 0.00003mm twice a second, and a television monitor allows scientists to see what the telescope sees[1]。
This huge system uses computers to control its support system and track gears, which can adjust the precise direction of the telescope system pointing to the sky[1]。During this operation, the relative positions of 36 lenses must be consistent[1]。The technology of combining small lenses into large lenses can be called the revolution of telescopes. The Keck telescope is the representative work of this new idea.The limit star it can see is22 etc。[1]
Optical adaptation
Keck telescope observation image
The distant starlight is like waterrippleSo keep moving forward, when it entersearthOfatmosphereLater, due to the different density of the atmosphere, the starlight will often shake, so the light wave reaching the telescope mirror is imperfect and distorted[1]。(When we look at the stars with the naked eye, we often feel that the stars are blinking.) Because of this atmospheric disturbance,starlightOfwavelengthSome irregular changes will occur. Keck telescope has an optical adaptive system worth 7.4 million dollars.Can overcome this problem[1]。
Adaptive optics system improvesKeck telescopeThe observation picture is 10 times clearer than before[1]。
For example, the image taken by the Keck laser guided star adaptation optical systemEgg nebula(Egg Nebula) composite image of near-infrared wavelength, which is a protoplanetary cloud,NebulaThere are dying stars falling off at the outermost, whenfixed starMore and more substances on the surface begin to separate, and the surface becomes more hot, which makes the ultraviolet lightionizationbecomeGasSo as to present beautiful colors under telescope observation.Planets can form in this area thousands of years later.[3]
Meaning influence
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Keck telescope[3]
Keck telescope ushers in a new era of ground-based telescopes[1]。Its scale isU.S.APalomar Mountain, CaliforniaHale telescope Twice as much as at that timeworldThe telescope with the largest upper aperture.[1]
Advanced adaptability of Keck telescopeOptical lensIt laid the foundation for the later appearance of computer driven lens.[1]Scientists use Keck telescope to track and findplanet。With Keck telescope, 85 objects can be observed in one nightfixed star。[4-5]
discovery of great importance
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Keck Observatory has provided astronomers with the clearest ground-based image of Uranus, confirming that the planet once thought to be insipid and unchanged is actually unexpectedly active.Institute of Space Science, University of CaliforniaUniversity of WisconsinIn early 2004, a group formed by me studied Uranus with Keck telescope, when it was approaching the autumnal equinox.Keckadaptive optics The infrared image of the system shows some details that were not found when Voyager 2 flew over the planet in 1986.[6]
