Previous in Forum: A Business Idea in Schools   Next in Forum: Small-scale Metal Sculptures Using Silverware and Scrap
Close

Comments Format:






Change Mode
Close

Subscribe to Discussion:

CR4 allows you to "subscribe" to a discussion
so that you can be notified of new comments to
the discussion via email.

Close

Rating Vote:







Add Vote
14 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
Bayes
The Engineer
Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Physics... United States - Member - NY Popular Science - Genetics - Organic Chemistry... Popular Science - Cosmology - New Member Ingeniería en Español - Nuevo Miembro - New Member

Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Albany, New York
Posts: 5060
Good Answers: 129

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/16/2018 10:40 AM

Just learned about the planned Large Synoptic Survey Telescope scheduled to start operating in 2022. The 8.4-meter LSST uses a special three-mirror design, creating an exceptionally wide field of view, and has the ability to survey the entire sky in only three nights. The LSST Summit Facility is located on the Cerro Pachón ridge in north-central Chile. More than 30 terabytes of data must be processed and stored each night in producing the largest public data set in the world.

The goal of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) project is to conduct a 10-year survey of the sky that will deliver a 200 petabyte set of images and data products that will address some of the most pressing questions about the structure and evolution of the universe and the objects in it. The LSST survey is designed to address four science areas:

• Understanding the Mysterious Dark Matter and Dark Energy
• Hazardous Asteroids and the Remote Solar System
• The Transient Optical Sky
• The Formation and Structure of the Milky Way

https://www.lsst.org/about
Register to Reply
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.
BestInShow
Guru
United States - Member - New Member Popular Science - Cosmology - New Member Technical Fields - Education - New Member

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 1187
Good Answers: 24
#1

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/16/2018 10:57 AM

The science and technology behind constructing these behemoths fascinates me. How do you create a mirror, or mirrors, that large and that perfect?
Register to Reply
redfred
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - Been there, done that. Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 15600
Good Answers: 981
#2

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/16/2018 11:02 AM

The LSST uses a digital camera that will boggle your mind.

https://www.bnl.gov/LSST/

__________________
 "Don't disturb my circles." translation of Archimedes last words
Register to Reply
Bayes
The Engineer
Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Physics... United States - Member - NY Popular Science - Genetics - Organic Chemistry... Popular Science - Cosmology - New Member Ingeniería en Español - Nuevo Miembro - New Member

Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Albany, New York
Posts: 5060
Good Answers: 129
#14
In reply to #2

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/18/2018 9:13 AM

That is pretty amazing. From the link you posted:

The entire camera array will contain 189 CCD sensors to collect the scientific images, and an additional 12 dedicated to guiding and focusing the camera. Each of these square sensors, made from specially grown silicon crystals, is roughly 1.5 inches across. These in turn are combined into what the team calls submosaics, flat "rafts" of nine sensors arranged on a 3 x 3 grid.

The assembly is painstaking, allowing for no more than 250 microns (millionths of a meter) between CCDs in order to catch nearly every photon arriving from deep space. The team will complete 21 of these submosaics, each of them effectively operating as an independent digital camera. This modular design allows for thorough testing as the technology develops, and also easier repairs should the need arise in the future.

Here's what the finished Focal Plane Array will look like:
Register to Reply
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#3

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/16/2018 11:35 AM

Wow, can't believe it's taken this long....should be a very valuable tool....

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply
James Stewart
Guru
Safety - Hazmat - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - New Member Engineering Fields - Chemical Engineering - Old Hand

Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 14331
Good Answers: 162
#4

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/16/2018 4:19 PM

I think they should look for asteroids.

__________________
 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just build a better one.
Register to Reply
redfred
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - Been there, done that. Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 15600
Good Answers: 981
#5
In reply to #4

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/16/2018 4:28 PM

That is part of it's job, but only for asteroids close to and south of the ecliptic.

__________________
 "Don't disturb my circles." translation of Archimedes last words
Register to Reply
James Stewart
Guru
Safety - Hazmat - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - New Member Engineering Fields - Chemical Engineering - Old Hand

Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 14331
Good Answers: 162
#6
In reply to #5

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/17/2018 9:24 AM

Explain, please. Is it because only those asteroids will be capable of planetary interception or near interception? Why?

I must admit, my basic understanding of celestial mechanics is lacking here, and glaringly obvious.

Also, with this being an Earth-based telescope, how do they plan on removing the "twinkle", and get better images? Is this adaptive optics at work again?

__________________
 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just build a better one.
Register to Reply
redfred
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - Been there, done that. Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 15600
Good Answers: 981
#7
In reply to #6

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/17/2018 9:36 AM

Really!?

The telescope will be in Chile. They cannot see Polaris from Chile.

Wait a minute, do you really believe in a flat Earth?

__________________
 "Don't disturb my circles." translation of Archimedes last words
Register to Reply
James Stewart
Guru
Safety - Hazmat - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - New Member Engineering Fields - Chemical Engineering - Old Hand

Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 14331
Good Answers: 162
#9
In reply to #7

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/17/2018 9:50 AM

Yes, redfred, and I am totally afraid of sailing where there be beasties, or falling off the edge. Really? Ok, I overlooked the telescope location, my bad.

I hope you can read between the lines and see my finger when I am being facetious.

I think I have known about ellipsoidal earth since I was a preschooler. My dad did not spare me the details, as I recall, pretty smart for an old farmer he was.

__________________
 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just build a better one.
Register to Reply
redfred
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - Been there, done that. Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 15600
Good Answers: 981
#11
In reply to #9

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/17/2018 10:16 AM

So you made a mistake. We all make mistakes. Why do have to deliberately insult those who show you your mistakes. That is a very childish act.

__________________
 "Don't disturb my circles." translation of Archimedes last words
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
James Stewart
Guru
Safety - Hazmat - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - New Member Engineering Fields - Chemical Engineering - Old Hand

Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 14331
Good Answers: 162
#12
In reply to #11

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/17/2018 10:56 AM

Which insult? You mean the finger don't you...it could be the "wishing you good luck finger"!

I am not having a particularly brilliant morning having epic failed the AUSS test.

__________________
 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just build a better one.
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
James Stewart
Guru
Safety - Hazmat - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - New Member Engineering Fields - Chemical Engineering - Old Hand

Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 14331
Good Answers: 162
#13
In reply to #11

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/17/2018 11:19 AM

Actually, I got the name of the test wrong too! It was the ASIS test.

Actually, if I had taken just a minute more to read the opening post (by Bayes, the Original Poster), I would have realized this LSST is to be placed in Chile. Why of course, it would be, since that is the most excellent place in the world to build telescopes due to the low interference light, and the low humidity, and low dust high in the mountains.

Of late, it seems my observational skills could do with a tune up.

__________________
 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just build a better one.
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
oilcan13
Power-User

Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 397
Good Answers: 3
#8
In reply to #6

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/17/2018 9:45 AM

Well I suppose the answer to the first part of Your question is That the telescope will be in the southern hemisphere and not able to spot objects in the northern hemisphere.

Second part is Yes Adaptive optics as well as the ability of ccd cameras to eliminate noise and the "twinkle" in imaging.

oilcan13
Register to Reply
James Stewart
Guru
Safety - Hazmat - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - New Member Engineering Fields - Chemical Engineering - Old Hand

Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 14331
Good Answers: 162
#10
In reply to #8

Re: Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)

01/17/2018 9:51 AM

Thanks for the brilliance, and for sparing the shame (on me for not already apparently knowing these answers).

__________________
 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just build a better one.
Register to Reply
Register to Reply
Have a Different Question?
14 comments
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

Bayes (1); BestInShow (1); James Stewart (6); oilcan13 (1); redfred (4); SolarEagle (1)

Previous in Forum: A Business Idea in Schools   Next in Forum: Small-scale Metal Sculptures Using Silverware and Scrap

Advertisement

Got Something to Say?
Ask a Question
Start a Discussion

Search this Forum
General Discussion:
Go

CR4 Sections
Aerospace
BioMech & BioMed
Chemical & Material Science
Civil Engineering
Communications & Electronics
Education and Engineering Careers
Electrical Engineering
General Discussion
Instrumentation
Manufacturing
Mechanical Engineering
New Technologies & Research
Software & Programming
Sustainable Engineering
Transportation

Site Directories
Forum Directory
Blog Directory
User Group Directory
RSS Feeds

CR4 Rules of Conduct
CR4 FAQ
Site Glossary

Who's Online (83 right now)
Show Members
Advertisement