Simmons.jpg (109330 bytes)

The NASA-LMT showing the mirror and Prime Focus assembly.
The mirror itself is rotating at 10 rpm and consists of 14 liters of
elemental Hg spread in a 1.6mm thick layer over a container with
a parabolic substrate. It is fortuitous that the equilibrium configuration
of a rotating fluid in a uniform gravitational field is a paraboloid!
Photo Courtesy: Chip Simons Photography

 

 

Close-up of the 3.0 m diameter NASA Liquid Mirror. The mirror is spinning at an angular
velocity of 1.043 radians/second yielding a parabolic surface with a 4.511 m focal length
at the NODO location (g=9.8167 m/s2).

 

 

PF Instaled Closeup Nice.jpg (274655 bytes)wpeA.jpg (34806 bytes)(Above) A close-up view of the original wpeD.jpg (36943 bytes)
prime focus assembly [1994-2000]. The conical piece is the 4 element corrector used to remove the coma and astigmatism intrinsic to the parabolic primary mirror. A 1K CCD is seen inserted at the focal plane.

The prime focus assembly has recently been updated (Right Photos; 05/2001). The upgraded assembly allows for remote detector/filter positioning as well as remote lateral and rotational alignment. The new 2K CCD dewar is visible at top. The MCP Intensified Video camera (orbital debris detector) is seen temporarily positioned at far left of center.

 

 

 

Mirror Bearing WA.jpg (253806 bytes)

 

 Two views of the underside of the liquid mirror - showing the
Professional Instruments Air Bearing and the supporting base.

NASA Orbital Debris Observatory  (NODO)

Background image of NGC 3395/96 acquired with the NASA-LMT