Keck telescope - Definition and Overview

The Mauna Kea Observatory, an institute of the University of Hawai'i, is considered one of the most important land-based observatories in the world for its isolated, unobstructed views of space without interference from man-made light sources. The twin Keck telescopes are largest of its instruments.

The W.M. Keck telescopes are the two largest telescopes of the Mauna Kea Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawai'i. These are reflecting telescopes located at an altitude of 4,145 m (13,600 ft). Keck I started observing in 1993 and Keck II started in 1996. This is a Ritchey-Chrétien type of telescope on an altazimuth mount, assisted by active optics. The Keck telescopes have, essentially, 10m mirrors; however, rather than having one mirror each telescope has 36 smaller hexagonal mirrors working together. In addition, Keck I and II can work together, via interferometry; this gives them the effective power of an 85m mirror.

The telescopes are administered by the University of California, California Institute of Technology and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. They sit on land leased from the University of Hawai'i System based in Honolulu, Hawai'i.

External links

• The Mauna Kea Observatory (http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/) (official site)
• W.M. Keck Observatory (http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/) (official site)
• W.M. Keck Telescope facts (http://scikits.com/KFacts.html)