Mini-tracker feasibility study results for the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)

John A. Booth; R. Pretorius; Melanie Saayman; Wouter Lochner; Freya Bovim; Lisa A. Crause; Francois Strümpfer

doi:10.1117/12.2562240

28 December 2020 Mini-tracker feasibility study results for the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)

John A. Booth, R. Pretorius, Melanie Saayman, Wouter Lochner, Freya Bovim, Lisa A. Crause, Francois Strümpfer

Proceedings Volume 11445, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes VIII; 1144531 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2562240
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2020, Online Only

Conference Poster

Abstract

The addition of multiple “mini-trackers” (MTs) to the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) would create in effect several four-to-six-meter class telescopes that take advantage of the SALT 10-meter diameter primary mirror’s 35 degree diameter uncorrected field-of-view. These devices, with a 100 square degree patrol area, would provide valuable follow up capability for the large astronomical surveys either in operation (e.g. MeerKAT, eROSITA, Gaia), or expected to begin operations soon (e.g. LSST, SKA, Euclid). A feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the technical practicality associated with the design, fabrication, integration, and testing of a prototype MT for SALT. The study determined that the development of a mini-tracker was indeed feasible, and work has begun on the concept design phase of the project.

Citation Download Citation

John A. Booth, R. Pretorius, Melanie Saayman, Wouter Lochner, Freya Bovim, Lisa A. Crause, and Francois Strümpfer "Mini-tracker feasibility study results for the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)", Proc. SPIE 11445, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes VIII, 1144531 (28 December 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2562240

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