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the_sky_callsThe 3.5 meter refracting telescope at the Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences at Pulkovo is the largest telescope in the Soviet Union, and one of the largest in the world. It is also a piece of crap. It’s first mirror was cast so poorly that it was scrapped before installation. The second was actually much better but, even then, as it was used, inclusions and cracks in the glass were found. As those were painted over to remove those defects from the light gathered, more and more were then discovered to the point where it was gathering light at only 60% of its theoretical limit.
Additionally, telescopes benefit from being high atop mountains so as to avoid atmospheric disturbances and be far away from urban lights. The Pulkovo Observatory sits only 75 meters above sea level and just south of the capital city, the absolute worst place to have such a facility.
The eggheads, err. . . comrade scientists at the Soviet Academy of Sciences had been petitioning the Chief Designer to build them a space telescope. It was not that the Chief Designer had anything against such a project, he would explain, but that in the early days of space exploration resources were allocated with different priorities. For example, with craft going to the Mun or Minmus, any one on the ground can look up and see them there. Don’t need orbiting telescopes for that.
Soviet space exploration had reached its late beginning or perhaps the early middle period and projects such as an orbiting telescope were now becoming relevant, so the Chief Designer directed the OKB-301 to build a new optical platform. What they came up with was the Spektr 1F.
“Wait. Don’t we already have a Spektr module on the Mir space station?”
“That’s a module, this is a satellite. Completely different.”
Well, at least it wasn’t one of OKB-52s acronym projekts.
Set in a 200 km orbit, the Spektr 1F’s 720 mm primary mirror would provide a 1,400x magnification, without having its clarity degraded with atmospheric distortions or cloudy days. Launched atop a Feniks rocket, as soon as it was in orbit, excited scientists began turning it’s lens on everything they could, starting with Duna because the Duna 2MV probe would be arriving soon.
The Pulkovo telescope, even for its many failings, still had three times the magnification, but the astronomers no longer had to contend with atmospheric distortions, scattered urban lights. Instead of a small, reddish blur, Duna was now a small, reddish, less blur. A significant and very welcome improvement.
The Chief Designer has promised the astronomers a larger space telescope.
Additionally, telescopes benefit from being high atop mountains so as to avoid atmospheric disturbances and be far away from urban lights. The Pulkovo Observatory sits only 75 meters above sea level and just south of the capital city, the absolute worst place to have such a facility.
The eggheads, err. . . comrade scientists at the Soviet Academy of Sciences had been petitioning the Chief Designer to build them a space telescope. It was not that the Chief Designer had anything against such a project, he would explain, but that in the early days of space exploration resources were allocated with different priorities. For example, with craft going to the Mun or Minmus, any one on the ground can look up and see them there. Don’t need orbiting telescopes for that.
Soviet space exploration had reached its late beginning or perhaps the early middle period and projects such as an orbiting telescope were now becoming relevant, so the Chief Designer directed the OKB-301 to build a new optical platform. What they came up with was the Spektr 1F.
“Wait. Don’t we already have a Spektr module on the Mir space station?”
“That’s a module, this is a satellite. Completely different.”
Well, at least it wasn’t one of OKB-52s acronym projekts.
Set in a 200 km orbit, the Spektr 1F’s 720 mm primary mirror would provide a 1,400x magnification, without having its clarity degraded with atmospheric distortions or cloudy days. Launched atop a Feniks rocket, as soon as it was in orbit, excited scientists began turning it’s lens on everything they could, starting with Duna because the Duna 2MV probe would be arriving soon.
The Pulkovo telescope, even for its many failings, still had three times the magnification, but the astronomers no longer had to contend with atmospheric distortions, scattered urban lights. Instead of a small, reddish blur, Duna was now a small, reddish, less blur. A significant and very welcome improvement.
The Chief Designer has promised the astronomers a larger space telescope.
