Solar Telescopes

; A solar research facility associated with the California State University, Northridge (CSUN). San Fernando Observatory A solar research facility associated with the California State University, Northridge (CSUN).	; The Richard B. Dunn Solar Telecope specializes in solar high resolution imaging and spectroscopy. These observations allow solar astronomers worldwide to obtain a better understanding of the sun. Dunn Solar Telescope The Richard B. Dunn Solar Telecope specializes in solar high resolution imaging and spectroscopy. These observations allow solar astronomers worldwide to obtain a better understanding of the sun.	; "The great new solar telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona is a source of pride to this nation. The largest instrument for solar research in the world, it presents American astronomers with a unique tool for investigating the nearest of stars, our Sun. This project is of exceptional interest to all of our citizens... " McMath-Pierce Telescope "The great new solar telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona is a source of pride to this nation. The largest instrument for solar research in the world, it presents American astronomers with a unique tool for investigating the nearest of stars, our Sun. This project is of exceptional interest to all of our citizens... "	; The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) studies the internal structure and dynamics of the Sun by means of helioseismology - the measurement of acoustic waves that penetrate throughout the solar interior - using a six-station, world-circling network that provides nearly continuous observations of the Sun's "five-minute oscillations". GONG The Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) studies the internal structure and dynamics of the Sun by means of helioseismology - the measurement of acoustic waves that penetrate throughout the solar interior - using a six-station, world-circling network that provides nearly continuous observations of the Sun's "five-minute oscillations".	; The John W. Evans Solar Facility consists of two main telescopes: a 16" coronagraph and a 12" coelostat telescope. Each of these telescopes can be used to feed one of several instruments. This means that two observing programs can be run simultaneously. The Evans Facility is used to conduct observations of the sun for both local staff and visiting scientists worldwide. Observations are made of the solar corona, and also of transient phenomena such as flares, eruptive prominences, and surges, as well as quiet sun features. Evans Solar Facility The John W. Evans Solar Facility consists of two main telescopes: a 16" coronagraph and a 12" coelostat telescope. Each of these telescopes can be used to feed one of several instruments. This means that two observing programs can be run simultaneously. The Evans Facility is used to conduct observations of the sun for both local staff and visiting scientists worldwide. Observations are made of the solar corona, and also of transient phenomena such as flares, eruptive prominences, and surges, as well as quiet sun features.	; The Hilltop Dome Facility houses an octagonal spar. Like the spar in the Evan's Facility, the Hilltop spar has its own guider system to keep its several telescopes centered on the sun. It also acts as an eight sided optical bench on which to mount instruments. Some of these are patrol cameras, while others are test instruments. The spar allows several instruments to be operated simultaneously. The patrol cameras can then operate automatically. Hilltop Dome Facility The Hilltop Dome Facility houses an octagonal spar. Like the spar in the Evan's Facility, the Hilltop spar has its own guider system to keep its several telescopes centered on the sun. It also acts as an eight sided optical bench on which to mount instruments. Some of these are patrol cameras, while others are test instruments. The spar allows several instruments to be operated simultaneously. The patrol cameras can then operate automatically.
; (SOLIS) is a new synoptic facility for solar observations over a long time frame that is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and designed and built by the National Solar Observatory (NSO). SOLIS will provide unique observations of the Sun on a continuing basis for several decades using state-of-the-art techniques. These long-term studies of the astronomical object most important to humanity will provide fundamental data to understand the solar activity cycle, sudden energy releases in the solar atmosphere, and solar irradiance changes and their relationship to global change. SOLIS (SOLIS) is a new synoptic facility for solar observations over a long time frame that is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and designed and built by the National Solar Observatory (NSO). SOLIS will provide unique observations of the Sun on a continuing basis for several decades using state-of-the-art techniques. These long-term studies of the astronomical object most important to humanity will provide fundamental data to understand the solar activity cycle, sudden energy releases in the solar atmosphere, and solar irradiance changes and their relationship to global change.	; (NoRH) is a radio telescope dedicated to observe the Sun. "Helio" means the Sun, "graph" means an imaging telescope. It consists of 84 parabolic antennas with 80 cm diameter, sitting on lines of 490 m long in the east/west and of 220 m long in the north/south. Its construction took 2 years and cost 1.8 billion yen. The first observation was in April, 1992 and the daily 8-hours observation has been done since June, 1992. Frequency 17GHz (Right and left circular polarization), 34GHz (only intensity) Field of view Solar full disk Spatial resolution 10 arcsec (17GHz), 5 arcsec (34GHz) Temporal resolution 0.1 sec (Event), 1 sec (Steady) As the NoRH is a radio interferometer, original data are sets of correlation values of all the combination of antennas. They correspond to the spatial Fourier components of the brightness distribution of the solar disk. In most cases, it is necessary to synthesize images from the original raw data. To maximize the data use, we prepare images, indices and other related materials routinely and put them on our Web page. This Web page is to help the scientists in the world to look for interesting phenomena detected by the NoRH and to start the actual analysis using the original data set. Software for image synthesis and analyses are prepared. Image synthesis and analyses can be done remotely through the Internet. This data and images can also be used for science education. We are glad if our images are of any help in education at schools, universities, and public. Nobeyama Radioheliograph (NoRH) is a radio telescope dedicated to observe the Sun. "Helio" means the Sun, "graph" means an imaging telescope. It consists of 84 parabolic antennas with 80 cm diameter, sitting on lines of 490 m long in the east/west and of 220 m long in the north/south. Its construction took 2 years and cost 1.8 billion yen. The first observation was in April, 1992 and the daily 8-hours observation has been done since June, 1992. Frequency 17GHz (Right and left circular polarization), 34GHz (only intensity) Field of view Solar full disk Spatial resolution 10 arcsec (17GHz), 5 arcsec (34GHz) Temporal resolution 0.1 sec (Event), 1 sec (Steady) As the NoRH is a radio interferometer, original data are sets of correlation values of all the combination of antennas. They correspond to the spatial Fourier components of the brightness distribution of the solar disk. In most cases, it is necessary to synthesize images from the original raw data. To maximize the data use, we prepare images, indices and other related materials routinely and put them on our Web page. This Web page is to help the scientists in the world to look for interesting phenomena detected by the NoRH and to start the actual analysis using the original data set. Software for image synthesis and analyses are prepared. Image synthesis and analyses can be done remotely through the Internet. This data and images can also be used for science education. We are glad if our images are of any help in education at schools, universities, and public.	; The Mees Dual Coronagraph observes the space above the solar limb in H-alpha (10,000 degrees) and Fe XIV (2 million degrees). The Haleakala Stokes Polarimeter (HSP) at Mees Solar Observatory on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii, measures the polarization of an absorption line in the solar spectrum, and uses the polarization data to map the vector magnetic field in the solar photosphere. The Mees Stokes video observes the active regions in the H-alpha spectrum line, formed in the chromosphere at about 10,000 degrees. The field of view is about 200,000 x 150,000 km. The Imaging Vector Magnetograph (IVM) at Mees Solar Observatory on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii measures the polarization of an absorption line in the solar spectrum, and uses the polarization data to map the vector magnetic field in the solar photosphere. The IVM observes a region about 203,000 km square on the sun.The Mees CCD Imaging Spectrograph (MCCD) at Mees Solar Observatory on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii records the spectrum of all points in a region, repetitively over time. The MCCD normally observes a region about 200,000 km square on the sun. The Mees White Light Telescope observes the Sun in white light. Mees Solar Observatory The Mees Dual Coronagraph observes the space above the solar limb in H-alpha (10,000 degrees) and Fe XIV (2 million degrees). The Haleakala Stokes Polarimeter (HSP) at Mees Solar Observatory on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii, measures the polarization of an absorption line in the solar spectrum, and uses the polarization data to map the vector magnetic field in the solar photosphere. The Mees Stokes video observes the active regions in the H-alpha spectrum line, formed in the chromosphere at about 10,000 degrees. The field of view is about 200,000 x 150,000 km. The Imaging Vector Magnetograph (IVM) at Mees Solar Observatory on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii measures the polarization of an absorption line in the solar spectrum, and uses the polarization data to map the vector magnetic field in the solar photosphere. The IVM observes a region about 203,000 km square on the sun.The Mees CCD Imaging Spectrograph (MCCD) at Mees Solar Observatory on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii records the spectrum of all points in a region, repetitively over time. The MCCD normally observes a region about 200,000 km square on the sun. The Mees White Light Telescope observes the Sun in white light.	; Most of our groundbased solar observations have been made at the Swedish Vacuum Solar Telescope (SVST) which is one of many telescopes on top of a volcano on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. The facility is run by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias and this particular telescope is operated by the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences. LMSAL Most of our groundbased solar observations have been made at the Swedish Vacuum Solar Telescope (SVST) which is one of many telescopes on top of a volcano on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. The facility is run by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias and this particular telescope is operated by the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences.	; Together with the Universitäts-Sternwarte Göttingen, the Max Plack-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung in Katlenburg-Lindau and the Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam KIS operates several solar telescopes at the Spanish 'Obervatorio del Teide' (2400 m, 16 deg 30 min 37.1 sec west, 28 deg 18 min 8.9 sec north, position of the VTT due to GPS determination, precision about 50 m rms) at Izaña on Tenerife. The largest telescope there is the Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) with an aperture of 70 cm KIS Together with the Universitäts-Sternwarte Göttingen, the Max Plack-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung in Katlenburg-Lindau and the Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam KIS operates several solar telescopes at the Spanish 'Obervatorio del Teide' (2400 m, 16 deg 30 min 37.1 sec west, 28 deg 18 min 8.9 sec north, position of the VTT due to GPS determination, precision about 50 m rms) at Izaña on Tenerife. The largest telescope there is the Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) with an aperture of 70 cm	; Just five years after George Ellery Hale founded the Mount Wilson Solar Observatory with a grant from the Carnegie Institution of Washington, designs for a long-focal-length tower telescope were completed. In 1908, Hale discovered magnetic fields in sunspots (using the 60-foot solar tower built in 1907) by applying the principle of Zeeman splitting, where a spectral line will usually be split up into several components in the presence of a magnetic field. This was a discovery of great import. In order to study the Zeeman splitting of sunspots more precisely, Hale needed a telescope with a larger image scale and a spectrograph with a greater linear dispersion than the 60-foot could provide. Because of this, funds were provided by the Carnegie Institution of Washington, and in 1909, the construction of the 150-foot solar tower was begun. Mt. Wilson Just five years after George Ellery Hale founded the Mount Wilson Solar Observatory with a grant from the Carnegie Institution of Washington, designs for a long-focal-length tower telescope were completed. In 1908, Hale discovered magnetic fields in sunspots (using the 60-foot solar tower built in 1907) by applying the principle of Zeeman splitting, where a spectral line will usually be split up into several components in the presence of a magnetic field. This was a discovery of great import. In order to study the Zeeman splitting of sunspots more precisely, Hale needed a telescope with a larger image scale and a spectrograph with a greater linear dispersion than the 60-foot could provide. Because of this, funds were provided by the Carnegie Institution of Washington, and in 1909, the construction of the 150-foot solar tower was begun.
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