Astronomy Department, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA

摘要

We present details of the design of a micro-channel based photon counting image-tube developed for ground-based visible astronomical observations with a timing precision <1 micro-sec. The image-tube, developed at UC Berkeley, was subsequently attached to the prime focus of the 40 inch Nickel telescope at the Lick Observatory to obtain high time resolution photometric data on a variety of objects that included the Crab pulsar, cataclysmic variable stars (BG CMi, SU UMa) and dMe-type flare stars (FL Vir and V1054 Oph). We report on preliminary scientific results from these data and outline some of the specialized observational techniques required to successfully carry out observations with such detector systems at high time resolution. Further developments of the detector system to enhance its performance are underway and will be described, as well as other potential applications such as high time resolution polarimetry.