New Technology Telescope

The 3.58-metre New Technology Telescope (NTT) was inaugurated in 1989, and it broke new ground for telescope engineering and design.

The main mirror is flexible and its shape is actively adjusted by actuators during observations, using a reference star, to preserve the optimal image quality. The secondary mirror position is also actively controlled in three directions.

This technology, developed by ESO, known as active optics, is now applied to all major modern telescopes, such as the Very Large Telescope at Cerro Paranal and the future Extremely Large Telescope.

The design of the octagonal enclosure housing the NTT is another technological breakthrough. The telescope dome is relatively small, and is ventilated by a system of flaps that makes air flow smoothly across the mirror, reducing turbulence and leading to sharper images.

La Silla: NTT enclosure:

  • Height: 1800 cm
  • Diameter: 1700 cm

Science goals

Star formation, protoplanetary systems, Galactic center, spectroscopy.

Links

NTT

Name: New Technology Telescope
Site: La Silla
Altitude: 2375 m
Enclosure: Compact optimised enclosure
Type: Optical & near-infrared telescope
Optical design: Ritchey-Chrétien reflector
Diameter. Primary M1: 3.58 m
Material. Primary M1: ZeroDur Schott
Diameter. Secondary M2: 0.875 m
Material. Secondary M2: ZeroDur Schott
Diameter. Tertiary M3: 0.84 m X 0.60 m (elliptical)
Mount: Alt-Azimuth mount
First Light date: 23 March 1989
Active Optics: Yes
Images taken with NTT: Link
Images of NTT: Link
Videos of NTT: Link
Press Releases with NTT: Link