Technical Requirements for VLT Visitor Instruments

The Visitor Focus has been reserved to permit innovative observations by teams using stand-alone instruments. The Visitor Instrument teams should in particular be able to react quickly to new scientific and/or technical opportunities. Visitor Instruments are therefore free from a substantial fraction of the requirements imposed on VLT facility instruments.

The requirements of the VLT towards (facility) Scientific Instruments are collected in the "Common Requirements for VLT instruments". Most of the mentioned applicable documents are collected in this file. An updated version of the Common Interface Control Document between VLT Scientific Instrument and the VLT Observatory is being prepared.

An older version of this document was tailored to Visitor Instruments for the UT3 Nasmyth Focus in "Requirements for Visitor Instruments on the VLT UT3 Visitor Focus" (VLT-SPE-ESO-10000-3912 issue 1 dated 27.09.2007), with similar requirements  for other foci. This document must be updated. Hence, it is strongly recommended that a Visitor Instrument team double-check with ESO all necessary details before designing critical items.

We make available here as separate pdf files with higher resolution than in the document appendix the applicable interface drawings:

ADWG
Drawing title Drawing nr
N1
VLT-Nasmyth Interface
Nasmyth Instrument Flange A
Rotator, cross section
VLT-DWG-ESO-11420-2615
N2 VLT-Nasmyth Interface
Nasmyth Instrument Flange B
Rotator, cross section
VLT-DWG-ESO-11420-2616
N3
VLT-Nasmyth Interface
Nasmyth Platform A
Top view and floor requirements
VLT-DWG-ESO-11420-2617
N4
VLT-Nasmyth Interface
Nasmyth Instrument Flange A:
Front view with telescope installations
VLT-DWG-ESO-11420-2618
N5 VLT-Nasmyth Interface
Nasmyth Instrument Flange A:
Front view with telescope installations
VLT-DWG-ESO-11420-2619
N6
VLT-Nasmyth Interface
Nasmyth Platforms
Access and handling constraints
VLT-DWG-ESO-11420-2620
C1 VLT-Cassegrain Interface
Section Alt/Az axis
VLT-DWG-ESO-11430-2052 (colour or b/w)
C2
VLT-Cassegrain Interface
Cassegrain Flange: View from below
VLT-DWG-ESO-11430-2053 (colour or b/w)
C3
VLT-Cassegrain Interface
Observing Floor Plan
Installations and floor loads
VLT-DWG-ESO-11430-2054 (colour or b/w)
C4 VLT-Cassegrain Interface
Alt/Az axis, detail of AZ rotator
VLT-DWG-ESO-11430-2055 (colour or b/w)

A data sheet for the portable LN2 storage tanks (type XRP 120) used on Paranal is available here.

A gallery of pictures showing the Nasmyth focus is also available.