This week's Palomar History Photo of the Week shows the 35 of the Hale Telescope's 36 mirror supports in the shop where they were made at Caltech. It is a good time to feature the mirror supports as this week we are entering into a major 5-week engineering run where the telescope's mirror supports will be removed, cleaned and replaced.
The photo must be from before the serious work of fabricating the mirror took place. I see one of the older versions of the fulcrum mechanism there in the photo.
ReplyDeleteThe last time the back supports were overhauled was winter '94. Lots of work ahead,... but seriously, have fun.
Unfortunately I do not have a date to go with the photo, but yes, this does not show the supports in their final form.
ReplyDeleteI think we will indeed have fun on this job. Unlike when this was last done the dome is being heated! More on that later.