Modeling the Vst Telescope and the Effect of the Wind Disturbance on Its Performance

The VST (VLT Survey Telescope) is a 2.6 m class Alt-Az telescope to be installed at Mount Paranal in Chile, in the European Southern Observatory (ESO) site. The VST is a wide-field imaging facility planned to supply databases for the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) science and carry out stand-alone observations in the UV to I spectral range. So far no telescope has been dedicated entirely to surveys; the VST will be the first survey telescope to start the operation, as a powerful survey facility for the VLT observatory. This paper will focus on the axes motion control system. The dynamic model of the telescope will be analyzed, as well as the effect of the wind disturbance on the telescope performance. The main problems and requirements for a telescope position control will also be discussed. Copyright © 2002 IFAC