Subject: Status of APO 3.5-meter Telescope

From: elt@astro.Princeton.EDU

Submitted: Wed, 3 Nov 1999 17:35:12 -0500 (EST)

Message number: 391 (previous: 390, next: 392 up: Index)

See apo35-general archive message #390 for background info.

A plan to modify the mounting and motion mechanisms for the
3.5-meter secondary and tertiary mirror, in a manner which will
allow operation without undue risk to the glass and with the
goal of getting back on the sky and into science operations 
again as quickly as possible, has now been developed and is being
executed.  Since we were already engaged in a long term project
to replace/upgrade the top end of the telescope, including the
secondary mounting, this "solution" will be only a temporary one.
The new top end, among other things, will implement a permanent
fix.

The best presently available estimate of the time required to
make the aforesaid modifications and recommision the telescope
on the sky has science operations commencing on November 25
(Thanksgiving!).

Ed Turner

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