Category: New Tech

© 2020 Laurie Hatch - LICK OBSERVATORY - Mt. Hamilton California - 2020 February 7 - A team of astronomers have installed two prototype SETI telescopes into the refurbished dome at Lick Observatory which houses the historic Carnegie Astrograph. Panoramic SETI (PANOSETI) will ultimately utilize a configuration of many SETI telescopes which will allow simultaneously monitoring the entire observable sky whenever weather permits. The unique, compact telescope design uses Fresnel lenses combined with fast-response (nanosecond) optical sensors to search for very brief optical pulses. The first pair of 0.5m telescopes will image the sky with a 10 degree by 10 degree field of view every billionth of a second. The program aims to discover very brief optical pulses that may arise either from astrophysical sources or extraterrestrial communication ("technosignatures"). Lick staff has recently completed a magnificent restoration of the 80-year old dome. The new installation has been achieved without disturbing the historic first telescope occupant of the dome. - Lick Observatory crowns the 4,200-foot Mt. Hamilton summit above Silicon Valley in central California. This research station serves astronomers from University of California campuses and their collaborators worldwide. Eccentric Bay Area tycoon and philanthropist James Lick (1796-1876) bequeathed funding for construction which spanned from 1880 to 1887, fulfilling his vision of the Observatory as a premier astronomical facility. In 1959, the Shane 3-meter reflecting telescope was completed on Mt. Hamilton. It continues to provide data for forefront research and engineering programs. In total, the mountain top is home to ten telescopes which are supported by resident staff and by headquarters at UC Santa Cruz. Acclaimed for academic excellence, technical expertise, and superior instrumentation, Lick Observatory probes the expanding frontiers of space. - EXPOSURE DATA: Two image Composite for High Definition Ran