Robotically Controlled Telescope
The Robotically Controlled Telescope is located on Kitt Peak National Observatory. Budget constraints forced the closing of this telescope as part of the Kitt Peak National Observatory in 1995, following nearly 30 years of service to KPNO. A request for proposals to operate this telescope was issued to the science community. The RCT consortium, led by Western Kentucky University, was the successful proposer for operation of the telescope. The telescope returned to limited operations in the Spring of 2004 and has been fully operational as of 2006.
For scientists: More details can be found on the science page.
Robotically Controlled Telescope
| Name(s) |
Robotically Controlled Telescope |
| Status |
Operational |
| Broad Science Goals |
Given the high sensitivity of the instrument research areas include protostars, novae, supernovae, black holes candidates, quasars, active galaxies, white dwarfs, and brown dwarfs. The RCT is used to enhance the undergraduate research experience and to augment our space-based observations on a variety of existing and newly conceived teaching and research projects. |
| Site |
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona, USA |
| Location Coordinates |
|
| Altitude |
2070 meters (6791 feet) |
| Enclosure |
|
| Type |
Optical |
| Optical Design |
f/14 Schmidt Cassegrain |
| Field of View |
9.6x9.6 arcminutes |
| Diameter: Primary M1 |
1.3 meters |
| Material: Primary M1 |
Cer-Vit |
| Diameter: Secondary M2 |
|
| Material: Secondary M2 |
|
| Mount |
German Equatorial |
| First Light Date |
1969 (closed in 1995 and resumed activity in 2004) |
| Adaptive Optics |
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| Images taken with the Robotically Controlled Telescope |
Link |
| Images of the Robotically Controlled Telescope |
Link |
| Videos of the Robotically Controlled Telescope |
Link |
| Press Releases with the Robotically Controlled Telescope |
Link |
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Please help us to complete this page by emailing information and corrections to info@noirlab.edu.