Nota de prensa
First Light Approaches for Second VLT Unit Telescope
25 de Febrero de 1999
While much attention is now directed towards the VLT Opening Symposium that will take place in Antofagasta on 1-4 March 1999, assembly work on the VLT Unit Telescopes proceeds at Paranal.
The first of these, UT1 , is undergoing thorough adjustment and the last series of tests, before the start of regular observations with the VLT on April 1, 1999. Recent observations were carried out in connection with the commissioning and science verification programmes for the two major instruments, FORS1 and ISAAC. Some of the data and the scientific results that have come from them will be presented during the Symposium and will also be the subject of an ESO Press Release to be issued in connection with the meeting.
It has been decided to install the third 8.2-m Zerodur mirror, just arrived from Europe into the second M1 Cell and attach it to UT2 this week. For this, the cell with the concrete dummy mirror in place for tests and balancing, was detached from the UT2 telescope structure and brought down to the Mirror Maintenance Building (MMB) at the Base Camp. The Zerodur mirror was lifted from its transport box and placed in the coating chamber. The plastic cover that has protected the delicate optical surface since it left the REOSC factory in Paris, was removed. The mirror was thoroughly checked by ESO's opticians and found to be in order. It was successfully coated with a thin layer of aluminium and placed in its mirror cell. It was prepared for the transpor to the UT2 in the afternoon of February 25. Following careful optical alignment and further system tests, everything should then be ready for the UT2 First Light event in March.
The UT3 structure is nearing completion. Remaining is the final electrical connection and setup of some of the telescope and enclosure sub-systems. The contractor's commissioning and testing has started. ESO integration work has begun with the installation and connection of the telescope control hardware. Meanwhile, the M1 Cell for UT3 is due to arrive in Paranal in a few days. It will then be re-integrated and tested before installation on the UT3 with the concrete 8.2-m dummy mirror that was only recently removed from UT2.
The UT4 azimuth baseframe and intermediate towers have now been installed.
Here are a few related electronic photos, obtained by ESO staff at Paranal during the recent operations.
For the most recent news about the VLT Project, please look at the VLT Information webpage.
Acerca de la nota de prensa
| Nota de prensa No.: | eso9910 |
| Legacy ID: | Photo 07a-l/99 |
| Nombre: | Mirror, Paranal, Very Large Telescope, VLT Unit Telescopes |
| Tipo: | Unspecified : Technology : Observatory Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Telescope |
| Facility: | Very Large Telescope |
Imágenes
Our use of Cookies
We use cookies that are essential for accessing our websites and using our services. We also use cookies to analyse, measure and improve our websites’ performance, to enable content sharing via social media and to display media content hosted on third-party platforms.
ESO Cookies Policy
The European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) is the pre-eminent intergovernmental science and technology organisation in astronomy. It carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities for astronomy.
This Cookies Policy is intended to provide clarity by outlining the cookies used on the ESO public websites, their functions, the options you have for controlling them, and the ways you can contact us for additional details.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small pieces of data stored on your device by websites you visit. They serve various purposes, such as remembering login credentials and preferences and enhance your browsing experience.
Categories of cookies we use
Essential cookies (always active): These cookies are strictly necessary for the proper functioning of our website. Without these cookies, the website cannot operate correctly, and certain services, such as logging in or accessing secure areas, may not be available; because they are essential for the website’s operation, they cannot be disabled.
Functional Cookies: These cookies enhance your browsing experience by enabling additional features and personalization, such as remembering your preferences and settings. While not strictly necessary for the website to function, they improve usability and convenience; these cookies are only placed if you provide your consent.
Analytics cookies: These cookies collect information about how visitors interact with our website, such as which pages are visited most often and how users navigate the site. This data helps us improve website performance, optimize content, and enhance the user experience; these cookies are only placed if you provide your consent. We use the following analytics cookies.
Matomo Cookies:
This website uses Matomo (formerly Piwik), an open source software which enables the statistical analysis of website visits. Matomo uses cookies (text files) which are saved on your computer and which allow us to analyze how you use our website. The website user information generated by the cookies will only be saved on the servers of our IT Department. We use this information to analyze www.eso.org visits and to prepare reports on website activities. These data will not be disclosed to third parties.
On behalf of ESO, Matomo will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage.
Matomo cookies settings:
Additional Third-party cookies on ESO websites: some of our pages display content from external providers, e.g. YouTube.
Such third-party services are outside of ESO control and may, at any time, change their terms of service, use of cookies, etc.
YouTube: Some videos on the ESO website are embedded from ESO’s official YouTube channel. We have enabled YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode, meaning that no cookies are set unless the user actively clicks on the video to play it. Additionally, in this mode, YouTube does not store any personally identifiable cookie data for embedded video playbacks. For more details, please refer to YouTube’s embedding videos information page.
Cookies can also be classified based on the following elements.
Regarding the domain, there are:
- First-party cookies, set by the website you are currently visiting. They are stored by the same domain that you are browsing and are used to enhance your experience on that site;
- Third-party cookies, set by a domain other than the one you are currently visiting.
As for their duration, cookies can be:
- Browser-session cookies, which are deleted when the user closes the browser;
- Stored cookies, which stay on the user's device for a predetermined period of time.
How to manage cookies
Cookie settings: You can modify your cookie choices for the ESO webpages at any time by clicking on the link Cookie settings at the bottom of any page.
In your browser: If you wish to delete cookies or instruct your browser to delete or block cookies by default, please visit the help pages of your browser:
Please be aware that if you delete or decline cookies, certain functionalities of our website may be not be available and your browsing experience may be affected.
You can set most browsers to prevent any cookies being placed on your device, but you may then have to manually adjust some preferences every time you visit a site/page. And some services and functionalities may not work properly at all (e.g. profile logging-in, shop check out).
Updates to the ESO Cookies Policy
The ESO Cookies Policy may be subject to future updates, which will be made available on this page.
Additional information
For any queries related to cookies, please contact: pdprATesoDOTorg.
As ESO public webpages are managed by our Department of Communication, your questions will be dealt with the support of the said Department.