Instrumentation at Paranal Observatory: maintaining the instrument suite of five large telescopes and its interferometer alive

Gordon Gillet; José Luis Alvarez; Juan Beltrán; Pierre Bourget; Roberto Castillo; Álvaro Diaz; Nicolás Haddad; Alfredo Leiva; Pedro Mardones; Jared O'Neal; Mauricio Ribes; Miguel Riquelme; Pascal Robert; Chester Rojas; Javier Valenzuela

doi:10.1117/12.856218

20 July 2010 Instrumentation at Paranal Observatory: maintaining the instrument suite of five large telescopes and its interferometer alive

Gordon Gillet, José Luis Alvarez, Juan Beltrán, Pierre Bourget, Roberto Castillo, Álvaro Diaz, Nicolás Haddad, Alfredo Leiva, Pedro Mardones, Jared O'Neal, Mauricio Ribes, Miguel Riquelme, Pascal Robert, Chester Rojas, Javier Valenzuela

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7735, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy III; 77355U (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.856218
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

This presentation provides interesting miscellaneous information regarding the instrumentation activities at Paranal Observatory. It introduces the suite of 23 instruments and auxiliary systems that are under the responsibility of the Paranal Instrumentation group, information on the type of instruments, their usage and downtime statistics. The data is based on comprehensive data recorded in the Paranal Night Log System and the Paranal Problem Reporting System whose principles are explained as well. The work organization of the 15 team members around the high number of instruments is laid out, which includes: - Maintaining older instruments with obsolete components - Receiving new instruments and supporting their integration and commissioning - Contributing to future instruments in their developing phase. The assignments of the Instrumentation staff to the actual instruments as well as auxiliary equipment (Laser Guide Star Facility, Mask Manufacturing Unit, Cloud Observation Tool) are explained with respect to responsibility and scheduling issues. The essential activities regarding hardware & software are presented, as well as the technical and organizational developments within the group towards its present and future challenges.

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Gordon Gillet, José Luis Alvarez, Juan Beltrán, Pierre Bourget, Roberto Castillo, Álvaro Diaz, Nicolás Haddad, Alfredo Leiva, Pedro Mardones, Jared O'Neal, Mauricio Ribes, Miguel Riquelme, Pascal Robert, Chester Rojas, and Javier Valenzuela "Instrumentation at Paranal Observatory: maintaining the instrument suite of five large telescopes and its interferometer alive", Proc. SPIE 7735, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy III, 77355U (20 July 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.856218

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KEYWORDS

Observatories

Instrumentation engineering

Telescopes

Cameras

Cryogenics

Interferometers

Large telescopes

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