Observatory

The first light!
The so called 'first light' is the very first image taken with a telescope, here it is! It is the Cocoon nebula as seen with only 2 minutes of exposure per filter (RGB) and without guiding the telescope. What we show here is only a small portion of the whole field of view.

Dolomiti Astronomical Observatory
At your disposition our Ritchey Chretien A&M 16" f/8 Astrositall Star Instruments optics (with interferometric test report) carbon tubes truss design, all CNC aluminium and stainless. The telescope is fully atutomatized thanks to the solid Paramount ME mounting and is equipped with a CCD camera FLI ProLine 1001 (1024×1024).
In adition the 4×5m Terrace with a sliding roof in order to accommodate your equipment, without the need to assemble it every night. It has an independent and reinforced slab, to remove any potential vibration.
Telescope Usage
- The telescope is comfortably controlled from the control-room of the Observatory (it is fully automatized)
- All equipments (telescope, dome, CCD camera, filter weel, etc.) are governed by TheSky6 and MaximDL, ensuring an easy and intuitive use.
Optics RC400
- Optical configuration: Ritchey-Chrtien (come il Keck)
- Primary aperture: 400mm
- Primary focal ratio: f/3
- Final focal ratio: f/8
- Focal length: 3200mm
- Primary mirror: LK-5 Astrosib with interferometric test report
- Tube: carbon tubes truss design
- Focuser: Feather-Touch 3.5, robotized
- Field of view: 26'.4 x 26'.4
- Sampling: 1".55
Mounting Paramount ME
- Type: german equatorial mount
- Capacity: 70kg
- Automatic pointing with MKS-4000 system: down to 1'
- Permanent periodic error correction (PEC)
- Tracking precision: better than 5''
CCD FLI ProLine 1001
- Front-illuminated sensor KodakKAF-1001E
- pixel: 1024×1024, 25,4×25,4mm (2.45cm of side)
- Pixel size: 24×24micron
- Quantum efficency peak: 65%
- High sensitivity at 400nm
- Download speed up to 12Mpixel/s
- 3 stages thermoelectric cooling: ∆T=−65 degrees
- Low noise digitalization: 16bit
- 2'' filter weel FLI with 7 positions
Filters
- Quadricromy filters: L,R,G,B
- Photometric filters: V,R,I
Autoguida
- ATK-16IC: CCD SonyICX-424AL, 659×494pixels, 7,4micron
Telescopio solare
- Refractor Vixen 80/910
- Narrow band H-alfa filter SOLARMAX 60/BF 10, band width: <0.7A
Coordinates
Quota : 1780m s.l.m.
Latitudine : 46°14’28’’ N - +46°.241
Longitudine : 10°50’13’’ E - +10°.836
Some images
The optical tube of the Richtey-Chretien 400mm f/8 with its carbon fiber and aluminium structure which ensures the highest thermal stability.
The back part of the optical tube.
Download
- Observatory chart
- Interferometric test report
- Research programm
- Roles
For more informations about the intrument visit