MDM Observatory's 8K CCD array project:
OPTICAL PARAMETERS OF HILTNER 2.4-METER TELESCOPE

e-mail: arlin@astro.columbia.edu

Telephone: (212) 854-7899


OPTICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF THE HILTNER 2.4-METER TELESCOPE (taken from "2.4-m Hiltner Telescope Observer's Handbook and Reference Manual, version 3.2" by Peter Mack, et al., July 14, 1996, some parameters also found in "Field Correctors for Wide-Field CCD Imaging with Ritchey-Chretien Telescopes" by Harland W. Epps & Daniel Fabricant, 1997, Astron. J., 113, 439)

Fundamental parameters are in bold text, other parameters are derived.
PARAMETERIN INCHESMILLIMETERS Comments
f/2.07 PRIMARY MIRROR
Diameter of front face93.02362
Clear aperture (after masking)91.52324
Thickness9.2234
Diameter of central perforation12.0305
Weight4400 lb2000 kg
Paraxial radius of curvature379.249632.7
Sagitta2.8672.6
Conical constant (dimensionless)-1.05015E&F'97 use -1.050145
f/7.5 SECONDARY MIRROR
Diameter of front face26.625676.3
Illuminated diameter of front face26.0660
Secondary baffle outside diameter29.25743
Thickness3.12579.4
Paraxial radius of curvature130.2633308.7E&F'97 use 3308.68 mm
Conical constant (dimensionless)-3.54396
Prime focus intercept47.641210
Vertex separation of mirrors141.983606.3E&F'97 use 3608.98 mm
Back focal distance (mechanical)35.4899
Back focal distance (optical)35.21894.3
Back focal range (optical)+0.35 to -0.25+8.9 to -6.3
Final focal ratio f/7.31from E&F'97
Paraxial image scale 0.0864in mm/arcsec, from E&F'97
Inverse image scale11.50+-0.005in arcseconds/mm
Focal surface curvature radius49.641261from E&F'97
Unvignetted field diameter4.9125value in Manual
Unvignetted field diameter7.2182calculated value

The unvignetted field diameter calculated from the diameter of central perforation, the f-ratio and the back focal distance is 182 mm. The baffle behind the primary is somewhat over 11 inches in diameter, near the front surface of the primary (according to Bob Barr, 25 Nov. 1998), which would produce an unvignetted field diameter of about 6.3 inches, or 160 mm. The value in the Manual by Mack et al. appears to be the limit imposed by the entrance aperture of the old MIS.

Note that the Mack et al. and E&F values for the image scale differ by 0.6%.