The KPNO 4m “Mayall” Telescope Arjun Dey (NOAO). National Optical Astronomy Observatory Mission: provide the best ground-based astronomical capabilities.

The KPNO 4m “Mayall” Telescope

Arjun Dey (NOAO)

National Optical Astronomy Observatory

Mission: • provide the best ground-based astronomical

capabilities to ALL astronomers • promote public understanding and support of science • help advance all aspects of US astronomy

Peer-review access to current OIR facilities:• KPNO, CTIO, Gemini Observatory• Keck, Magellan, MMT, HET

New Initiatives (future facilities):• Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (NEO, SNe,etc.) • Extremely Large Telescopes (e.g., GSMT)

Arjun Dey

NOAO and its users

• NOAO is run by AURA under cooperative agreement with the NSF

• Peer-review merit-based access to all astronomers

• Open skies policy

• Community of users is very diverse (few night runs to surveys to large experiments)

• Current NSF context is the ReSTAR Report, but Decadal Survey can help here

Arjun Dey

Kitt Peak National Observatory

Arjun Dey

Kitt Peak National Observatory

• Founded 1958• Mayall 4m (1973)• WIYN 3.5m (1994)• 2.1m (1964) & many

smaller telescopes

Summit 6875ft

Arjun Dey

The Mayall

Ritchey-Chretien design Clear aperture of primary = 3.797mTwo secondaries: f/7.8 and f/15Prime focus corrector option (currently MOSAIC

camera)Primary has active support

Aging instrument complement – needs something new!New design options can result in >3 degree field

http://www-kpno.kpno.noao.edu/kpno-misc/mayall_params.html

Arjun Dey

The Mayall

• Telescope control system is old, but functional, and under computer control

• 4MAPS 33-pt active mirror support system• Dome has had some seeing improvements

done during the last decade• Control room near telescope (should probably

be moved)• All observing is done “classically”, with

observers at summit with telescope operator (but instruments have been run remotely from Tucson)

The Mayall in Context

Arjun DeyAbout 10% of public access time now; less in future

Kitt Peak Weather Statistics

Arjun Dey

Kitt Peak Weather StatisticsCrawford 1983

Need to analyze more recent data –In progress! (But little has changed)

Arjun Dey

Kitt Peak Weather Statistics

http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?azkitt

Seeing at the WIYN Telescope(same mountain, modern telescope)

Aug 2004 – Apr 2006

Arjun Dey

Seeing at the Mayall

Massey et al. 1999

Arjun Dey

September 07, 2007 KPNO Weekly Project Meeting 14

Kitt Peak Site Monitoring Suite

• Initial Instrument suite

– Differential image motion monitor (DIMM)

– KPNO All Sky Camera (KASCA)

– Weather stations (WS, WD, RH, T, P)

• Data

– Real time web page

– Data archive(s)

• Match CTIO system

From Bob Blum

KPNO Weekly Project Meeting 15September 07, 2007

Kitt Peak Site Monitoring Suite• DIMM– 10'' Meade LX200

– ST5 SBIG CCD

– Two 9 cm pupil apertures, 15 cm apart

– Image motion: achromatic, no filters

– Almost operational …

From Bob Blum

KPNO Weekly Project Meeting 16September 07, 2007

Kitt Peak Site Monitoring Suite• KASCA– Nikon fisheye

– SBIG CCD

– Blue, Red, Na filters

– Web server

– Image database

– Admin roof

From Bob Blum

Prime Focus Option 1Designs by Ming Liang (NOAO)

Arjun Dey

Prime Focus Option 3Designs by Ming Liang (NOAO)

Arjun Dey