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The dome of the new 2.4-meter Automated Planet Finder (APF) is seen in the center foreground. The gimbal arrived on Mt. Hamilton on Monday April 20, 2009 and was installed in the dome on April 21st. Assembly of the telescope will continue for the next couple of weeks. First light is expected to be in late May or June. The new facility will be the largest in the world devoted exclusively to the search for exoplanets (planets orbiting other stars) when it is completed. The large dome at left holds the Shane 3-meter Reflector. Once the world's second largest telescope, it is now surpassed in size by many others, but remains highly productive -- engaged in fundamental astrophysical research every clear night of the year. The dome of the 20-inch Dual Astrograph (now rarely used since completing its decades-long task of surveying the entire sky visible from Mount Hamilton) can be seen just peeking out from behind APF. The Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope (KAIT), a robotic telescope for discovering extra-galactic super novae, is housed in the dome on the hill above and behind APF. |