Iranian National Observatory Review and Status INO Management team Reza Mansouri Project Director Habib Khosroshahi Project Scientist Sepehr Arbabi Bidgoli Technical Manager Ahmad Reza Hamoni Haghighat Executive Manager
Outline Astronomy in Iran Site Selection Site Characterization Project Plan Science Case Conceptual Design M1 Blank Next Steps
ASTRONOMY IN IRAN
~ 10 universities and institutes have research activities related to astronomy ~ 10 professional astronomers and ~ 20 Ph.D. students with research activities 2 research observatories o es in Shiraz and Tabriz Some other educational observatories Tabriz Shiraz
Astronomy in the Region Armenia 1 m, 2.5 m (Burakan) India 5 telescopes! 1m - 2.3 m + Radio (GMRT) Karachay-Cherkess 6m (Zelenchuk) Uzbekistan 2 m (Meidanak) Iraq 1.2 m, more in the future? Egypt 2 m Jordan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan 1.0-1.5 m
INO 1997 - The INO project was proposed as one of the few large projects in basic sciences. 2001 - The site selection project aiming at finding a suitable location for INO was launched at the the University of Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan. April 2003 - Four locations in southern Khorasan, Kermaan, Qom, and Kashan are short-listed for further studies of their observational conditions. Dr. Nasiri was appointed as the chair of the site selection committee. February 2004 - The government approved the INO project and the budget for the Iranian calendar year 1384. May 2006 - Qom and Kashan sites were short listed for further studies. November 2006 - The INO project is delegated to IPM
SITE SELECTION
Key site parameters Clear sky Height Seeing Sky brightness Light pollution Wind (speed, direction) Access Geotechnical characteristic
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SITE CHARACTERIZATION
Dinava and Gargesh Seeing Data After Midnight Before Midnight Dinava Dinava Garkash Garkash QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. Credits: Site selection team Plots: Rahvar / INO Science committee
The Earth from Space at Night
Europe & the Mid-East at Night
East Asia Japan Indonesia & Australia
Atmospheric light pollution Europe now and prediction for 2025 Light Pollution Computer modelled atmospheric skyglow isophotes for Europe, Left 1995. Right prediction for 2025 From a few stars only visible (red) to a few hundred (yellow to green) green), to near a thousand, some Milky Way visibility, to dark sky (black). Based on DMSP nadir data. (Cinzano P., Falchi F., Elvidge C.D., Baugh K.)
PROJECT PLAN
Building the INO300 Scientific Planning Defining the goals Focus on Promising research areas Defining the requirements Building an astronomical community Fostering international collaboration Planning Instrumentation Technical Realization + Design phase: Maximal learning effect + Construction phase: Efficiency + Operation phase: Maintenance Upgrade + Building and Operating Instrumentation
Building the INO300
SCIENCE CASE
Workshops and international Activities August 2007: Workshop on Site Selection Refining strategy for selecting the site Selected new parameters to be measured March 2008 : First international workshop on INO300 Discussion on Science Case Draft of main design parameters, including Telescope Field of View
Objects FOV min Wavelength Imager Spectrograph M31 object identification 30 20 3800-10000 Astroseismology of pulsating variables 30 5 mmag resolution R~20000-100000 LSS Survey 30 20 3000-10000 20k x 20k MOS with 150 slits Galaxy Dynamics 20 2 4000-13000 IFU, R~30000 Stellar Clusters 20 3 4000-20000 R~ 2000-30000 Binaries in ext. galaxies, stars- planets follow-up 15 5 3000-10000 0.001 accuracy, wide-band filters 10000 Standard stars 10 5 AGNs, Quasars few 3200-10000 Multi-filter at the same time Long-slit, R~2000 Magnetic Stars few Spectro-Polarimeter Stellar Astrophysics 20 5 3200-10000 R>100000
INO300 Design Parameters Aperture ~ 3m M1 Focal Ratio f/1.4 - f/1.6 Exit Focal Ratio f/11 f/16 Focus/Foci Cassegrain + Double optional Nasmyth Image Quality Active M1 Field of View ~ 20 Mount Alt-Az Enclosure?
Workshops and international Activities September 2008: Workshop on Instrumentation Refining the telescope design parameters Developing a concept for instrumentation Further discussions on: Site Selection Optical Design Science Case Project Management
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
INO300 Infrastructure
INO300 Infrastructure
INO300 Dome
M1 BLANK
NEXT STEPS
Site characterization Topographic maps Microthermal measurements Seeing roboters M1 Figuring Contract Conceptual + Preliminary Design Access Road INO Engineering team
Thanks INO science committee INO steering committee INO external Board Site selection team Arne Ardeberg Alireza Behnam INO staff and everyone who has helped INO