Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: overview

J. Anthony Tyson

doi:10.1117/12.456772

24 December 2002 Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: Overview

J. Anthony Tyson

Proceedings Volume 4836, Survey and Other Telescope Technologies and Discoveries; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.456772
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

A large wide-field telescope and camera with optical throughput over 200 m² deg² -- a factor of 50 beyond what we currently have -- would enable the detection of faint moving or bursting optical objects: from Earth threatening asteroids to energetic events at the edge of the optical universe. An optimized design for LSST is a 8.4 m telescope with a 3 degree field of view and an optical throughput of 260 m² deg². With its large throughput and dedicated all-sky monitoring mode, the LSST will reach 24th magnitude in a single 10 second exposure, opening unexplored regions of astronomical parameter space. The heart of the 2.3 Gpixel camera will be an array of imager modules with 10 μm pixels. Once each month LSST will survey up to 14,000 deg² of the sky with many ~10 second exposures. Over time LSST will survey 30,000 deg² deeply in multiple bandpasses, enabling innovative investigations ranging from galactic structure to cosmology. This is a shift in paradigm for optical astronomy: from "survey follow-up" to "survey direct science." The resulting real-time data products and fifteen petabyte time-tagged imaging database and photometric catalog will provide a unique resource. A collaboration of ~80 engineers and scientists are gearing up to confront this exciting challenge.

Citation Download Citation

J. Anthony Tyson "Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: Overview", Proc. SPIE 4836, Survey and Other Telescope Technologies and Discoveries, (24 December 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.456772

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