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Building The World's Biggest Astronomical Camera
MegaPrime, the world's largest digital camera has now been released for scientific use on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), a 3.6m telescope located on the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Early observations conducted during the installation phase have already demonstrated the power of this new instrument: many previously unknown moons of Jupiter have been discovered, potentially hazardous asteroids that pass near to the Earth have been studied, and wide areas of the sky have been surveyed to prepare targets for a future space mission. MegaPrime is a collaboration between several research institutes in France, and NRC's Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics (HIA) in Victoria, B.C. Several major industrial contractors participated in building the large optical and mechanical components of this device, which is mounted at the prime focus of the CFHT. At the heart of MegaPrime is MegaCam, a unique camera built by the French Commissariat � l'Energie Atomique (CEA). This camera is an array of 40 charge-coupled detectors (CCDs), each of which has nine million individual pixels. In routine use, MegaCam produces an image containing 324 million pixels. MegaPrime on the CFHT provides Canadian astronomers with a capability that newer and larger optical telescopes do not offer: the ability to observe large areas of sky, in this case, an area larger than that covered by four full moons. The huge number of pixels means that the images are obtained at very high resolution, allowing astronomers to zoom in and separate individual stars in crowded star fields, and to see the detailed structure of faint, distant galaxies. Taking advantage of the capabilities of MegaPrime, a large team of astronomers in Canada and France has initiated the CFHT Legacy Survey (LS). Under this five-year program, an equal partnership between Canada and France, some 500 nights of telescope time will be dedicated to three major projects:
The availability of MegaPrime opens a new era in astronomical wide-field imaging that will benefit the worldwide astronomical community. All images taken with MegaPrime will be archived at the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC), part of NRC's HIA. Astronomers from around the world will be able to access and retrieve MegaPrime images using the internet services offered through the CADC. HIA's Director General, Dr. Gregory G. Fahlman, notes that "MegaPrime is a groundbreaking instrument that finally realizes a long-standing goal of optical astronomers: to acquire digital images of large areas of sky that were previously obtainable only with inefficient photographic plates. "The speed and accuracy of MegaPrime opens entirely new opportunities for astronomical research and offers the promise of exciting new discoveries. The CFHT LS is a scientific program of remarkable ambition, made possible by MegaPrime and the development of new observing procedures at the CFHT. "Canadian astronomers have a world-leading tool to further their original research and an opportunity to have a major impact in resolving fundamental questions about the nature of the universe. Moreover, the carefully archived images will provide a lasting legacy for the entire world to exploit in the future."
Recognized globally for research and innovation, Canada's National Research Council (NRC) is a leader in the development of an innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada through science and technology. NRC operates world-class research facilities as well as information, technology and innovation support networks from coast to coast. Related Links National Research Council SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express New Tech Will Put The Scope Smaller Exo Planets Schoemakerstraat - Apr 28, 2003 Scientists and engineers at Astrium Space Friedrichshafen and TNO TPD's space division in Delft have taken an important step in tracking down small planets outside our solar system.
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