Engineering the big Telescopes [Gallery]
The Y-shaped layout of the VLA is clearly visible, as are the double-tracked railroads next
to the antennas. This is the most compact configuration, the one with the largest field of view, but lowest
resolution.
NRAO/AUI/NSF | CC-BY-30
View down one of the arms of the VLA. The double-tracked rails with their 90-degree turnoffs
are clearly visible, as is a transporter under one of the antennas.
N. Emerson, NRAO/AUI/NSF | CC-BY-30
This picture shows the antenna maintenance building called the barn as well as the antenna
test pad just outside. Both of the two transporters are visible as well.
NRAO/AUI/NSF | CC-BY-30
A beautiful evening view of the VLA, with rare clouds in the sky.
NRAO/AUI/NSF | CC-BY-30
The classic view of the LBT with opened enclosure, the two binocular mirrors side-by-side,
reflecting the evening sky. The huge vents protruding on the bottom are a part of the air conditioning system.
Public Domain
View-angle view of the two mirrors from the inside. The two Large Binocular Cameras can be
clearly seen in the primary focus. The picture has been taken when no additional instruments had been installed
between the two mirrors.
LBTO, Wiphu Rujokaparn and Marc-André Besel
Another view of the two huge mirrors, now looking towards the horizon. The white handrails
on the mirror platforms put the size into perspective. The silver rings/holes on the inside of the mirrors are the
mounts for the instruments.
LBTO
The beefy elevation mount and its drive.
Public Domain
One of the two MODS instruments mounted in the primary focus, right behind the mirror.
LBTO
ESO’s VLT on the top of Cerro Paranal in Chile. The enclosures of the four 8.2 meter unit
telescopes are clearly visible. The white-panelled area is where the auxiliary telescopes can move.
J.L. Dauvergne & G. Hüdepohl (atacamaphoto.com) | ESO
A view on the platform, towards the unit telescopes, just after sunset. The VLT clearly wins
the competition regarding the online gallery with the best images. Check it out!
ESO | H.H.Heyer
Inside the enclosure of a unit telescope.
ESO | José Francisco Salgado (josefrancisco.org)
Another view of a unit telescope, this time at night. The AO star lasers are clearly and
impressively visible.
ESO | F. Kamphues
Two of the smaller auxiliary telescopes. They can be moved around by truck.
ESO | Y. Beletsky
The tunnel that contains the delay lines for the VLT Interferometer that ensures a common
length of the light path when interferometrically combining the four unit telescopes.
Enrico Sacchetti | ESO
The Paranal Express. These cartridges move on rails in the tunnel to adjust the length of
the delay lines for the interferometer.
ESO | F. Kamphues
The Effelsberg dish peeking out of its valley in August 2019.
Markus Völter
Another view of the dish and the intricate steel mesh that backs up the surface. You can
also see two of the four holes where support beams for the primary focus cabin connect to the structure. One of
these four contains a walkway for personnel to access the primary focus cabin when the telescope is in horizontal
position.
Markus Völter
This picture shows the essence of the homologous design of the dish. Two major (rectangular)
beams hold the counterweight and central point (directly above the red motors at the bottom of the picture); from
there, a ring of smaller round beams provide a circular support for the dish. The elevation axis is between the two
“huts”; the gear ring that moves in elevation and its driving motors are clearly visible. Not that this ring does
not carry any of the load of the telescope.
Markus Völter
Yet another view of the underside of the telescope. Once again, we can clearly see the two
box beams that hold the counterweight from which the ring-style round beams support the circular dish.
Markus Völter
One of the four bogies that hold the 3,200 tons of total mass of the telescope. The bogies
also hold the motors that provide rotation in azimuth.
Markus Völter
The elevation ring gear and its drive.
Markus Völter
This is the central pin, viewed from underground. The cables that come from the receivers
are clearly visible. By the way: the telescope’s rotation in azimuth is limited to 480°, otherwise the cables get
tangled.
Markus Völter
The primary focus cabin. The lower/right side you can see the active secondary mirror. A
flap in the center of the mirror can be opened, and the primary focus receivers can be lowered towards the dish. You
can also see that a motorized lift was attached to a bar on top of the cabin; it is used to lift equipment from the
ground to the dish. After the cable has been reeled in mostly, the antenna is moved in elevation, and the cable is
reeled out again to lower the lift’s load onto the dish.
Markus Völter
This is the secondary focus cabin, currently with a closed top because no observation is
going on. You can also see that some of the panels have been removed for maintenance reasons.
Markus Völter
The telescope in almost vertical position.
Markus Völter
The view from the control room.
Markus Völter
The observatory on the Pic de Bure at around 3,000 meter in the Provence. You can clearly
see the two axes for moving the telescopes.
Markus Völter
A closer view of the Pic de Bure. Like the previous picture, this one was taken while I was
flying over the observatory with my glider in 2018.
Markus Völter
A beautiful view of some of ALMA’s 12 meter antennas in the winter, with some unusual
humidity in the (high) atmosphere.
ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) | CC-BY-40
Another overview picture of ALMA. The photo looks almost artificial because of the very dry
air and the very crisp colors.
Ariel Marinkovic – ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) | CC-BY-40
If you look closely, you can spot a difference between the two antenna types.
ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) | CC-BY-40
This shows the ALMA Operational Support Facility, or low site, at 2,900 meters. In
particular, the picture shows the antenna maintenance facilties (bottom left), the hotel and control facilities
(right and up from the center), the antenna construction camp (far right) and the garage for the two transporters
(top right corner of the installation).
William Garnier – ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) | CC-BY-40
I can’t tell whether this is Otto or Lore, but it clearly says Scheuerle all over the place.
You can see how all the wheels can be controlled separately, allowing the vehicle to move in all directions. The
inclined beams with the hydraulic cylinders are used to lift the antennas from their pads.
Carlos Padilla – ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) | CC-BY-40
One of the transporters carrying an antenna down to the support facility.
Carlos Padilla – ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) | CC-BY-40
Technicians working on the receiver cabinet in the primary focus.
ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) | CC-BY-40
The receiver cabinet with the frontends/receivers for the 10 different ALMA bands. You can
see various different kinds of antennas or horns, depending on the wavelength of the band.
ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) | CC-BY-40