Keck 1 deployable tertiary mirror (K1DM3)

J. Xavier Prochaska; Christoph Pistor; Gerald Cabak; David J. Cowley; Jerry Nelson

doi:10.1117/12.926582

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17 September 2012 Keck 1 deployable tertiary mirror (K1DM3)

J. Xavier Prochaska, Christoph Pistor, Gerald Cabak, David J. Cowley, Jerry Nelson

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Proceedings Volume 8444, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IV; 84444R (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926582
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

We aim to build a new tertiary mirror (M3) and its mount for the 10 m Keck I (K1) telescope at the W. M. Keck Observatory (WMKO) to make its full observational capabilities available for time-sensitive scientific programs.. In contrast to the existing tertiary mirror and mount, the device will rapidly deploy and rotate the mirror to any instrument at a Nasmyth focus or, as desired, stow the mirror out of the light path to permit observations at the Cassegrain focus. In this manner, the K1 deployable tertiary mirror (K1DM3) will enable observations with any of the K1 instruments on any given night, and at any given time. The K1DM3 device will be integrated within the K1 telescope control system and WMKO has committed to a new operations model that takes full advantage of this new capability.

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J. Xavier Prochaska, Christoph Pistor, Gerald Cabak, David J. Cowley, and Jerry Nelson "Keck 1 deployable tertiary mirror (K1DM3)", Proc. SPIE 8444, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IV, 84444R (17 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926582

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