Automatic  Photometric Telescope (APT)

0.75m  (29.5 inch)

To be  renamed the Alan Cousins Telescope [Martinez, p.111.]

Photo Gallery: APT

Index:

Summary; History; Current; Technical; Sources; Links:

Important  Contributions:

Description:
The South African Astronomical Observatory (S.A.A.O.)  is involved in a variety of long term photometric programmes at optical and near infrared wavelengths. To ease operations it was decided in the 1990's to construct an Automated Photometric Telescope (APT). The instrument is dedicated to photoelectric  photometry.

Owner:
S.A.A.O.

Where  Located:
Sutherland

Present  Location:
 Sutherland

Owner:
S.A.A.O.

Status:
Operational

Condition:
Excellent

Design Feature's: The instrument is optimised for rapid operation, which calls for a compact low inertia design.
Type: Reflector with a Dall-Kirkham configuration.
Aperture: 0.75m (295 inch)
Focal Length: f/2.5
Mirror:

• Hextek manufactured primary mirror blank. It was cast of borosilicate glass and is a slumped honeycomb sandwiched between two faceplates.  Overall thickness is 127 mm, faceplates are 12 mm. Mass of 32 kg.
• Blank  was shaped and polished by the Production Technology division of the CSIR in Pretoria.
• Mirror supported on a conventional 18-point flotation system.

Mounting: Equatorial horseshoe mount. Compact design for quick operation,  with low backlash and low moment of inertia. The drives are steel on steel friction drives.
Attachments:

• The  photometer has 10 filter positions and offer a choice of photometric  apertures.
• CCD  camera with engineering grade EEV CCD with 385 x 288 pixels. (For more see Martinez pp.104 - 105)

Manufacturer: The set of plans and the control boards were purchased from Autoscope. Constructed by S.A.A.O. technical staff. (Also, look mirror)

Operational History:

• First light 30 November 1999.
• Fully  automated operation April 2000.
• Operational  June 2000.

Building: Because the telescope is automated, the dome (Ashdome) and building are very compact, as space for a human is not needed in the dome. The building is also without facilities such as bathroom, kitchen etc.

Documentation:

Pictorial  Sources:
Martinez,  P. et. al., The Automatic Photometric Telescope at the South African  Astronomical Observatory, MNASSA, Vol. 61 Nos. 7 & 8, p.103;  p.106.

Bibliography:

• Martinez, P. et. al., The Automatic Photometric Telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory, MNASSA, Vol. 61 Nos. 7 & 8, pp. 102 - 111.

Related Internal Links:

Related External Links:
Robotic Telescopes: Internationally
S.A.A.O. Website

Director Historical Section: Chris de Coning - siriusa@absamail.co.za

Webmaster: Christian Hettlage - webmaster@assa.saao.ac.za