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retired non-optical telescopes put to use as optical telescopes? |
 Feb 29 2008, 04:31 PM
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Newbie  Group: Members Posts: 6 Joined: 31-October 06 Member No.: 1305  |
I am wondering.
When space based telescopes like IR telescopes, ones used for astrometry, or planet hunting end their mission lifespan or use up mission critical expendables likes coolant, can they be converted to be used as regular optical telescopes? Telescopes like Spitzer and Kepler still have mirrors and regular CCD cameras right? |
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Feb 29 2008, 05:05 PM
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 |
Designs can be quite dissimilar. Chandra, for example, has "mirrors" that resemble concentric tubes which funnel X-rays to the detector. Nothing like a focusing mirror set or a CCD array in that baby.
-the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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Feb 29 2008, 11:23 PM
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 213 Joined: 21-January 07 From: Wigan, England Member No.: 1638 |
QUOTE (dvandorn @ Feb 29 2008, 05:05 PM)  Designs can be quite dissimilar. Chandra, for example, has "mirrors" that resemble concentric tubes which funnel X-rays to the detector. Nothing like a focusing mirror set or a CCD array in that baby. On the contrary, Chandra has several CCDs, and they are also sensitive to visible light (optical blocking filters are used to allow only X-ray photons to pass). -------------------- "I got a call from NASA Headquarters wanting a color picture of Venus. I said, “What color would you like it?” - Laurance R. Doyle, former JPL image processing guy
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Mar 1 2008, 04:00 AM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 |
QUOTE (Del Palmer @ Feb 29 2008, 05:23 PM) On the contrary, Chandra has several CCDs, and they are also sensitive to visible light (optical blocking filters are used to allow only X-ray photons to pass). Really? Interesting -- you didn't get that impression from the detailed documentary that ran on NASA-TV six times a day for two months... they referred more to "X-ray detectors," IIRC. Good to know -- thanks, Del! -the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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paranoid123 retired non-optical telescopes put to use as optical telescopes? Feb 29 2008, 04:31 PM
nprev I kind of doubt that they have "regular... Feb 29 2008, 04:47 PM NGC3314 Something of the sort happened when WIRE's cry... Feb 29 2008, 05:44 PM siravan AKARI (Astro-F), JAXA's IR telescope has this ... Feb 29 2008, 09:09 PM
siravan Based on ACIS website (Chandra's Imagings Spec... Mar 1 2008, 05:05 PM |
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