All posts by Jörg Weingrill

Announcements

Inauguration of the new Cerro Armazones Observatory (OCA)

After two years of renovation and expansion the new OCA has reopened for science operation again. The refurbished observatory features a new energy grid and a new internet connection. The windmills have been dismounted and area of the solar panels has been vastly increased. To store the energy for night operations the battery system has been replaced and expanded.

The new internet connection is now directly managed by ESO avoiding high maintenance costs and broken fibres.

general view of the OCA from a drone with descriptions
Innovations at the new OCA

CAMK installed new 0.6m and 0.8m telescopes replacing the old VYSOS16″ Newton and BEST-II. New domes have been erected to host the new telescopes. A new 1.6m telescope will be installed in 2024 feeding the FEROS spectrograph.

BMK10k will restart observations after reconnecting the power, network and server infrastructure.

Announcements

BMK deployed to Chile

BMK has been set up at Cerro Armazones Observatory in Chile.

The BMK is lifted into the dome by a crane.

The BMK and the equipment arrived months ahead and have been waiting to be assembled in its new home.

The precious 10k CCD camera has been shipped separatly.

Publications

Dome installed

Dome is erected and is basically functional via the standard Ash electrical interface. The previous Hexapod pyramid is gone and the concrete telescope pillar now under construction. It will be ready by the end of August.