Advanced Optics and Sensing Technologies for Telescopes

Dear Colleagues,

The development of astronomy is always linked with advanced optical instruments. The electromagnetic spectrum observed by astronomical telescopes provides us the leading information sources to understand the universe. Astronomers first used visible light to study the universe, then expanded to non-visible light such as radio waves, infrared rays, X-rays, ultraviolet rays, and gamma-rays. The exciting thing is that gravitational waves are utilized to conduct research on the growth of the universe and the evolution of celestial bodies, which is far from being an extension of the electromagnetic spectrum.

All of the deployed and on-going observatories require continuous improvements in terms of large and precision optical surface fabrication and advanced telescope system development. There are still many challenges in advanced optics and sensing technologies for telescopes, such as insights on the relationship between the science objectives and the telescope requirements, novel optical design methods for telescopes, sensors for telescope control system, accurate optical surface testing, optical coating for the particular application, active and adaptive optics technology, and stray light suppression to reduce cost and engineering risk. Therefore, the current state of the pivotal technologies and effective solutions to the presented challenges for telescope system are the key areas of this Special Issue.

The areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Designs of modern large optical telescopes;
• Telescopes for gravitational wave detection;
• Aspherical and freeform mirrors for high-resolution telescopes;
• High-energy optical/IR/FIR detectors;
• Wavefront sensing and wavefront control;
• Active and adaptive optics and laser guide star facility;
• Advanced manufacture technology for large-aperture telescopes;
• Control systems and structural, mechanical, and thermal engineering;
• High-resolution spectrometer for telescopes.

Dr. Donglin Ma
Guest Editor

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• telescope design
• telescope mirror fabrication
• telescope mirror testing
• telescope interferometry
• adaptive optics
• wavefront sensing
• telescope coating technology
• astronomical instrumentation
• telescope spectrometer