光学/红外望远镜和技术的进展

Progress of Optical/IR Telescopes and Techniques

天文望远镜和技术在２０世纪末取得了空前的辉煌成就，并将取得更辉煌的成就：（１）大型望远镜的研制：口径１０ｍ的两架 Ｋｅｃｋ望远镜已分别在 １９９４年和 １９９６年投入工作． ＥＳＯ ＶＬＴ四架 ８ｍ望远镜中的第一架已在 １９９８年 Ｆｉｒｓｔ ｌｉｇｈｔ，最后一架也将在今年内 Ｆｉｒｓｔ ｌｉｇｈｔ．两架 Ｇｅｍｉｎｉ ８ｍ中的一架和一架 Ｓｕｂａｒｕ ８ｍ望远镜都已完成． ＨＥＴ ９ｍ望远镜正在最后调试．由两个 ８ｍ望远镜组成的 ＬＢＴ将于 ２００４年完成，一架 １０ｍ复制的 Ｋｅｃｋ）和一架 ９ｍ（复制的 ＨＥＴ）望远镜正在研制中．这些望远镜已配备或将配备先进的光学、红外ＣＣＤ照相机和光谱仪，如Ｋｅｃｈ的ＮＩＲＳＰＥＣ、ＶＬＴ的ＦＯＲＳ、ＩＳＡＡＣ等．巡天计划中 ＳＤＳＳ、 ２ｄＦ、 ２ＭＡＳＳ和 ＤＥＮＩＳ仪器已完成，都已投入观测． ＬＡＭＯＳＴ正在积极研制中，ＶＩＳＴＡ即将开始研制．现在ＣａｌＴｅｃｈ等已开始研制口径３０ｍ的极大望远镜（ＥＬＴ），ＥＳＯ和ＮＯＡＯ已开始了口径１００ｍ望远镜的预研，中国和英国也提出了很好的ＥＬＴ方案．（２）探测器的改进：当前ＣＣＤ的量子效率ＱＥ蓝片已达７０％～８０％，红片已达９０％。

The content of this report is based on the report of the IAU Commission 9 for 1996-1999 written by L.S.Mclean, (see Report on Astronomy 1996-1999, IAU transaction Vol. 24A, P. 316-327), and with some more complementarity. The last decade of the 20th century was an unprecedented splendid time for astronomical telescopes and techniques, and more splendid achievements will be created since then. (1) Telescopes: Two 10 m Keck telescopes have been in operation since 1994 and 1996 in sequence. The first telescope of the four & m telescope project-ESO VLT got its first light in 1998, and the last one is going to get its first light soon this year (in 2000). One of the two & m telescopes of Gemini project and Subaru & m telescope have both been completed recently. HET 9 m telescope is in its commissioning stage. LBT, which is composed of two & m telescope tubes, is going to be completed in the year of 2004. There are one 10 m telescope (copied from Keck) and one 9 m telescope (cpoied from HET) still in manufacturing. These telescopes have been equipped or are going to be equipped with advanced optical, infrared CCD cameras and spectrographs. For example, there are NIRSPEC in Keck, and FORS and ISSAC in VLT. In sky survey projects: SDSS, 2dF, 2MASS and DENIS have been completed and all are in observation. LAMOST is under its active development. The concept design of VISTA has been started already. CalTech has started the concept design of the 30 m Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). ESO and NOAO have started the concept design of the 100 m telescopes respectively also. China and Britain have Proposed some very good concept designs of ELT respectively too. (2) Detectors: The quantum efficiency (QE) of CCD now is 70% ~ 80% for blue-optimized chips and 90% for red-optimized chips. The largest CCD mosaics which have been used in observation is 12k × 8k. There are several CCD with dimension 8k × 8k which have been equipped in telescopes. CCD mosaics with 20k x 18k is under development. It is no doubt that the photographic plate has been replaced by CCD in astronomical observation now. In infrared band, 1k × 1k HgCdTe CCD has been used in observation and 2k × 2k is being developed. (3) Interferometry: There are several interferometer systems which have been in operation and have got some extensive astronomical results, for example, GI2T, COAST, IOTA, NPOI, PTI, ISI, SUSI, MIRA. Development of some interferonders is under way or nearly completed, for Example, CHARA, MRO, LBT. Especially two 10 m Keck and four & m VLT with some small telescopes will all form a very big interferometer array. The Keck interferometer is with a 140 m maximum baseline, and the maximum base line of VLT interferometer (VLTI) will be 200 m. Both will be in operation soon in the nearest future. (4) Adaptive optics: Adaptive optics is being equipped in many 3 to 4 m telescopes. Diffraction-limited optical and infrared imaging from ground is now obtained. Keck and ESO are both developing adaptive optics, which will be used in & to 10 m telescopes. All proposed 30 to 100 m Extremely Large telescopes will include adaptive optics too.