Design of and studies with a novel one-meter multi-element spectroscopic telescope.

摘要

A traditional one-meter imaging telescope costs {dollar}250,000 and weighs several tons. A novel multi-element spectroscopic telescope is described which trades imaging ability and monolithic size for low cost and weight, producing the same light gathering power at under one-tenth the cost. A complete spectroscopic facility consisting of one-meter equivalent-aperture telescope, fiber optical feed, Newtonian-Ebert spectrograph, and automated processing software has been prototyped, constructed, and placed into operation. The total cost of materials is under {dollar}85,000.; A variety of science observations have been conducted with this facility including a tomographic reconstruction of the component spectra of the massive binary Plaskett's star components, a measurement of the line-profile variability of the Be stars {dollar}lambda{dollar} Eridani and BK Camelopardalis, and a dynamical study of the orbit of the triple star system 55 Ursae Majoris. The instrument performs well and is now in regular use as a scheduled telescope at the Georgia State University Hard Labor Creek Observatory. Improvements continue, and the telescope continues to serve a valuable role in the GSU Astronomy program's scientific programs and pedagogical mission.