20" (0.5 m) RC-Optics Telescope
photo by Nic Scott
The 20 inch telescope was installed in 2010, replacing the Meade 16 inch in the western dome at HLCO, and is undergoing initial testing for capabilities. The telescope is equipped for imaging with a CCD (a very sensitive camera for astronomy) and will be able to take images routinely in the near future.
First light with the CCD by Nic Scott, Robert Moore, and Ben Jenkins. This image shows a 45 second exposure of the Crab Nebula (M1), which is a 1000 year old supernova remnant in the constellation Taurus. The image was not taken with filters, so it is shown in greyscale.
Test Image from the CCD by the GSU ASTR 3500 students of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M 51). This image shows a 30 second exposure of two interacting galaxies, and is zoomed in to show detail. No calibration has been done. The image was not taken with filters, so it is shown in greyscale.
Additionally, the telescope will be capable of doing spectroscopy with two instruments that are nearing completion and need testing. The first spectrograph is a small spectrograph that will mount on the telescope, allowing Georgia State astronomers to measure the masses of binary stars, determine stellar temperatures, and explore the regions surrounding supermassive black holes. The second instrument (still being constructed) will feed light through a fiber to the spectrograph formerly used with the MTT.
Log Sheet for LHIRES III Spectrograph
Quick Start Guide for LHIRES III Spectrograph
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