Caltech Submillimeter Observatory
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| Organisation | California Institute of Technology |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | Mauna Kea, United States of America |
| Coordinates | 19°49′21″N 155°28′34″W / 19.8225°N 155.476°WCoordinates: 19°49′21″N 155°28′34″W / 19.8225°N 155.476°W |
| Altitude | 13,570 ft (13,570 ft) |
| Wavelength | 1300 to 350 µm |
| Built | 1985 |
| First light | 1986 |
| Telescope style | radio telescope |
| Diameter | 10.4 m (34 ft 1 in) |
| Website |
www |
The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) is a 10.4-meter (34 ft) diameter submillimeter wavelength telescope situated alongside the 15-meter (49 ft) James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) at Mauna Kea Observatory. It is engaged in submillimeter astronomy, of the terahertz radiation band. The telescoped closed on September 18, 2015. The telescope is set to be decommissioned in the near future as part of the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan.[1]
History
The CSO and JCMT were combined to form the first submillimeter interferometer. The success of this experiment was important in pushing ahead the construction of the Submillimeter Array and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array interferometers.
Decommissioning
On April 30, 2009, Caltech announced plans to decommission the CSO, transferring ongoing research to the next-generation Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope (CCAT) in Chile. The plans call for CSO to be dismantled beginning in 2016, with its site returned to a natural state by 2018.[2]
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See also
References
- ↑ "Third Maunakea observatory set for decommissioning". University of Hawaii News. University of Hawaii. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
- ↑ "Caltech Submillimeter Observatory in Hawaii to be Decommissioned" (Press release). Caltech.edu. April 30, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2010.