1/5/2011 - In Pursuit of a Large Astronomical Telescope for New York

The New York Astronomical Corporation (NYAC) and the associated Astronomical Society of New York (ASNY)were founded about 40 years ago with the principal goal of developing a large telescope for the NY astronomical community. Despite some initial success;, that telescope never came into being, and the ASNY became largely an organization for scientific collaboration, and support to students of astronomy. On August 3, 2010, the NYAC called for new proposals for a NY telescope. One proposal, to build the largest telescope in the world, is being put forward by a consortium of universities led by Dr. Stefi Baum, Director of the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Carlson Center for Advanced Imaging.

The Astronomical Telescope of New York (ATNY) proposal is for a 12 meter class telescope with a total collecting area of 126 m2; about 1.75 times larger than the Keck Telescopes. The telescope is a Ritchey Chretien design intended for general purpose visible/IR wavelength astronomy. Two Nasmyth instrument platforms allow the telescope to field two major instruments or one large instrument and a suite of smaller instruments; allowing NY universities the opportunity to pursue development of funding and capabilities to build astronomical instrumentation in their laboratories. This would represent a significant opportunity for the photonics community of NY.

The primary mirror is made up of 126 hexagonal segments of Corning’s ULE glass. Optical polishing of these segments would most likely employ a process already developed by ITT of Rochester under funding by the Thirty Meter Telescope project of the University of California. Optical coating might well be performed by EMF of Ithaca, NY, in the business of electro-deposition of optical coatings since 1936. Toptica Inc. of Victor, NY is developing high power lasers for artificial adaptive optic guide stars under contract to Keck and the European Southern Observatory and would similarly support ATNY. The dome for the telescope is proposed to be a unique Calotte design with geodesic type structures which could be provided by Triodetic of Syracuse, NY. A goal of the project is to keep as much NY funding in NY as possible enhancing photonics and economic development in parallel with astronomical research.

The telescope is projected to cost $70M, much less than previous segmented telescopes though more than the 10 m Hobby Eberly Telescope built by the University of Texas about 15 years ago. Funding is anticipated to come from other partners outside New York New State, NY foundations and individual donors, and possibly from the university partners. The goal is access for all NY institutions and significant growth of astronomical research, instrumentation, and education. Proposals are due to ASNY on 10 January 2011 and a decision as to which proposed project they intend to support should be forthcoming in early 2011.

Development of the concept was funded by RIT, and performed by Xoptx LLC of Ithaca, NY with participation of industrial subcontractors. Those interested in joining as industrial or academic partners can contact Dr. Stefi Baum baum[at]cis.rit.edu or Thomas A. Sebring tsebring[at]xoptx.com.