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| + | ====== Overview ====== | ||
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| + | The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) is one of the world's premier facilities for astronomical research and instrumentation development. | ||
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| + | With the CSO, astronomers from all over the world observe light naturally emitted by celestial objects at submillimeter wavelengths. | ||
| + | This spectral range, between infrared and radio, is particularly suited to studying the molecular gases and small solid dust particles | ||
| + | that fill the densest regions of the interstellar medium, where stars form as gas clouds contract and collapse under the pull of | ||
| + | gravity. Star formation is best studied in the submillimeter and infrared because interstellar dust absorbs light at shorter wavelengths. | ||
| + | Near the end of their lives, certain stars eject copious amounts of material, forming circumstellar envelopes with a rich assortment | ||
| + | of molecules. Submillimeter observations of galaxies outside the Milky Way trace the history of star formation during the evolution | ||
| + | of the universe. Light from the most distant galaxy observed with the CSO was emitted 12 billion years ago. | ||
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| + | The telescope was designed by Prof. Robert B. Leighton and built at Caltech by Leighton and Prof. Thomas G. Phillips, the founding | ||
| + | CSO director. | ||
| + | The CSO was installed on Maunakea in 1985-7. | ||
| + | Eighty four lightweight hexagonal aluminum honeycomb | ||
| + | panels make up the primary mirror. An active system aligns these panels to maintain the smooth surface needed for submillimeter | ||
| + | observations. Spectrometers and cameras at the CSO use detectors developed at Caltech and other universities. For maximum | ||
| + | sensitivity, these detectors are cooled close to absolute zero temperature. New instruments are deployed as detector technology | ||
| + | advances. Because atmospheric water vapor absorbs submillimeter radiation, the CSO is located high on Maunakea to take advantage | ||
| + | of the very dry conditions. Most observations are made at night when the atmosphere is driest and most stable. As a university facility, | ||
| + | the CSO has a strong educational tradition: over 100 students from 25 institutions have used the CSO for doctoral research projects. | ||
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| + | The [[http://www.caltech.edu|California Institute of Technology]] (Caltech) operates the CSO. The CSO is located on [[http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/|Maunakea]] through an agreement with the [[http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu|University of Hawai'i]]. The [[http://www.nsf.gov|National Science Foundation]] supported the CSO until 2013 March. Prof. [[http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~golwala/|Sunil Golwala]] is the director of the CSO. | ||
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| + | Further information about the [[..:history:history]] of the CSO. | ||
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| + | ==== Characteristics ==== | ||
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| + | | Observing wavelengths: | 2mm — 350 μm | | ||
| + | | Primary mirror diameter: | 10.4 m (34 feet) | | ||
| + | | Surface accuracy: | < 15 μm r.m.s. | | ||
| + | | Pointing accuracy: | 3 arcsec r.m.s. | | ||
| + | | Highest angular resolution: | 8 arcseconds | | ||
| + | | Location: | Maunakea, Hawai'i, | | ||
| + | | | at 4070 m (13360 ft) altitude | | ||
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