Euro50: Proposal for a 50 m Optical and Infrared Telescope

Abstract:
Staff from Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Lund Observatory,Physics Department and Larmor Research Institute at Galway, and TuorlaObservatory is collaborating on studies for a 50 m optical and infraredtelescope. The telescope concepts are based on the work on extremelylarge telescopes carried out during 1991-2000 at Lund Observatory, andon the experience from the 10.4 m segmented Grantecan telescopepresently under construction. The proposed 50 m telescope is a fullyadaptive Nasmyth telescope with a Ritchey Chretien configuration. Itwill have an aspherical, segmented primary mirror with 2 m largesegments and a deformable secondary. Adaptive optics will be implementedin several steps. From the beginning, there will be single-conjugateadaptive optics for the K-band. Next, and within the first year ofoperation, the telescope will have single-conjugate adaptive optics forvisible wavelengths. As a third step, and another year of operation,dual-conjugate adaptive optics will be made available for the K-band.The telescope will be housed in a co-rotating enclosure at the Roque delos Muchachos observatory on La Palma. Further studies are in progressaiming at preparation of a proposal during the first half of 2002.