Fred Young’s submillimeter telescope to begin testing later this year
(ORDO NEWS) — The Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST), being developed by CCAT Observatory Inc, an international consortium of universities, is nearing completion.
Work will soon begin on the part of the dais that will support the top structure and will contain the telescope’s mirrors.
This part will be made of Invar, a special steel with an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion.
This is important for science, because at the wavelengths that scientists consider, thermal expansion can greatly affect the quality of the data obtained.
FYST will be able to routinely scan frequency bands that are not available to most telescopes due to some design elements and material choices.
Telescope mirrors are also cutting-edge technology, scientists say. They are being built in the Netherlands by Airborne, the world’s leading carbon fiber manufacturer.
The internal steel frame structures for the A and B yokes that will hold the three-story above-ground portion in place are almost complete.
The project team estimates that by the end of 2023, the telescope will be tested in Germany. Fred Young, after whom the telescope is named, recently visited the construction site.
“Watching the start of the construction of the telescope in Germany was a huge satisfaction. This is the culmination of many years of planning and preparation,” he said.
“What was particularly striking was the sheer size of the rotating azimuth base, which is the first element to be completed.
The fast and precisely controlled movement, assisted by large electric motors, was an impressive demonstration of its ability to scan the sky. Now we clearly have something to look forward to.”
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.
