A Large-Format CCD Camera for Lowell Observatory

其目标是购置一台对紫外线敏感的大幅面电荷耦合器件和一套适当的图像质量滤光片，以增强和扩大洛厄尔天文台的成像和光谱能力。对于直接成像，该探测器将在直接成像模式下提供1.07米望远镜可用最大探测器的16倍视野。在珀金斯1.8米望远镜上，最初的视场大小只会略微增加，但紫外线敏感度将有数量级的提高；当实施计划中的减焦器或牛顿焦点时，将实现更大的覆盖范围。凭借其扩大的面积和光谱覆盖范围，新的CCD将允许洛厄尔天文台的工作人员和访问者进行目前无法尝试的研究。其中的科学目标包括：研究星系的蓝色恒星含量和星际介质，确定我们银河系疏散星团的光度函数和动力学性质，利用早期类型恒星的高分辨率光谱研究星际介质的性质，利用窄带光度法研究彗星的大尺度彗星和彗尾结构，提高接近地球的小行星的发现率并评估其对地球的危害，有效地搜索柯伊伯带天体。

The objective is the acquisition of a large-format, ultraviolet- sensitive CCD and an appropriate set of image quality filters that will enhance and extend the imaging and spectroscopic capabilities of the Lowell Observatory. For direct imaging, the detector will provide a field of view sixteen times that of the largest available detector at a 1.07-m telescope in direct imaging mode. At the Perkins 1.8-m telescope the field size will initially be increased only slightly, but there will be an order-of-magnitude gain in UV sensitivity; increased coverage will be achieved when a planned focal reducer or Newtonian focus is implemented. By virtue of its increased areal and spectral coverage, the new CCD will allow Lowell Observatory staff and visitors to undertake research that cannot at present be attempted. Among the scientific goals are: studying the blue stellar content and the interstellar medium of galaxies, determining luminosity functions and dynamical properties of open clusters in our own Galaxy, investigating properties of the interstellar medium by means of high-resolution spectroscopy of early-type stars, investigating the large-scale comatic and tail structure of comets using narrowband photometry, enhancing the discovery rate of Earth-approaching asteroids and assessing their hazard to Earth, and searching effectively for Kuiper belt objects.