The ACIS instrument has been operating for three years in orbit, producing high quality scientific data on a wide variety of X-ray emitting astronomical objects. Except for a brief period at the very beginning of the mission when the CCDs were exposed to the radiation environment of the Outer van Allen Belts which resulted in substantial radiation damage to the front illuminated CCDs, the instr...

We present commissioning data for the POLISH instrument obtained on the Hale 5-m telescope. The goal of this high precision polarimeter is to constrain orbital inclination of high mass X-ray binaries and to therefore obtain independent mass estimates for their black hole companions. We have obtained photon shot noise limited precision on standard stars, and we have measured the polarization of ...

Maraghe observatory was built by such engineers as Moayiededdin Orozi etc. under supervision of Khaje Nasireddin Tousi in 7th century AH. The most significant feature associated with Maraghe observatory is the fact that architecture is employed to achieve astronomical purposes in this site. The reason for preferring observatory by astronomers was the fact that these units are superior to wooden...

In order to fully characterize the astronomical potential of remote sites on the antarctic plateau, we have developed a suite of instruments covering UV to sub-millimeter wavelengths. In addition, we have successfully demonstrated the use of an acoustic radar (SODAR) at the South Pole to measure the height of the turbulent atmospheric boundary layer. Each instrument is designed to operate indep...

Germanium photoconductors have been used in a variety of infrared astronomical experiments, both airborne and space-based. The bulk of our knowledge of the far-infrared properties of astronomical objects has come from observations made with these detectors. This paper describes the operational theory of these detectors, including amplifier considerations. Examples of recent focal plane array de...

Detectors play a key role in an astronomical observatory. In astronomy, the role of the telescope and instrument is to bring light to a focus in effect, the telescope-instrument act as “spectacles”. The detectors, meanwhile, have the critical role of sensing the light the detectors are the “eyes” of an observatory. The performance of an astronomical observatory is directly dependent upon the pe...

If Earth-like planets orbit nearby stars, they could be detectable with specially designed telescopes. Direct observations would be very revealing, particularly low resolution infrared spectra, which could establish habitability on the basis of temperature and atmospheric water. Abundant, primitive life based on organized molecular structure might reveal itself, as on Earth, by an atmospheric c...

Abstract. We have developped a new method for the scheduling of astronomical automatic telescopes, in the framework of the autonomous TAROT instrument. The MAJORDOME software can handle a variety of observations, constrained, periodic, etc., and produces a timeline for the night, which may be modified at any time to take into account the specific conditions of the night. The MAJORDOME can also ...