Polishing of a 6.5 m f/1.25 mirror for the first Magellan telescope

H. M. Martin, R. G. Allen, J. H. Burge, L. R. Dettmann, D. A. Ketelsen, W. C. Kittrell, S. M. Miller

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

We describe the optical fabrication and testing of the 6.5 m f/1.25 primary mirror for the first Magellan telescope. Figuring was performed with a 1.2 m stressed lap, which bends under active control to match the local curvature of the optical surface, and a variety of small passive tools. The figure was measured with IR and visible interferometers, using refractive null correctors to compensate 810 microns of aspheric departure. After subtraction of Seidel astigmatism and spherical aberration, the finished mirror is accurate to 14 nm rms surface error, and has an encircled energy of 80% in 0.06″ diameter at 500 nm.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)47-55
Number of pages9
JournalProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume3739
StatePublished - 1999
EventProceedings of the 1999 Optical Fabrication and Testing - Berlin, Ger
Duration: May 26 1999May 28 1999

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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