LMI: Status (Updated Feb 2, 2014)
LMI is now on the telescope and being used for science while commissioning concludes.
We are running with the "science-grade" chip". A small version of the "first light" image of NGC 891 can be found above; click on it for a higher res version.
A complete set of our pretty pictures can be found by following the Gallery link below!
Things that remain to be done:
- A new baffle will be installed during March 2014 to improve the scattered light with the instrument.
- The flat-field lamp system still needs to be completed.
- There is a 3.5% non-linearity over the range 40ADU-52,000ADU. A correction procedure can be found in the manual, and we plan to tweak the voltages in the Spring to improve the linearity.
- Very saturated stars bloom along the serial register direction. We plan to address that also in Spring 2014.
These results made use of the Discovery Channel Telescope at Lowell Observatory. Lowell is a private, non-profit institution dedicated to astrophysical research and public appreciation of astronomy and operates the DCT in partnership with Boston University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Maryland and the University of Toledo. Partial support of the DCT was provided by Discovery Communications. LMI was funded by the National Science Foundation via grant AST-1005313.