Liquid mirror telescope applications

Ralph F. Wuerker

doi:10.1117/12.355024

19 July 1999 Liquid mirror telescope applications

Ralph F. Wuerker

Proceedings Volume 3749, 18th Congress of the International Commission for Optics; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.355024
Event: ICO XVIII 18th Congress of the International Commission for Optics, 1999, San Francisco, CA, United States

Abstract

The advent of inexpensive large aperature near diffraction limited Liquid Mirror Telescopes (LMT's) makes possible applications not sensitive to their near vertical viewing nature; such as, astronomical surveys, space debris surveys, lidar collectors, and laser radiation concentrators, for plasma creation experiments in the sky. LMTs are easily an order of magnitude less expensive than a polished glass reflectors, which are only approximations to the naturally perfect parabolic surtace created by a rotating liquid. Highly reflecting liquid mercury is easily cleaned and safe when handled correctly.

Citation Download Citation

Ralph F. Wuerker "Liquid mirror telescope applications", Proc. SPIE 3749, 18th Congress of the International Commission for Optics, (19 July 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.355024

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