Ultraviolet Transients

The Objective Prism Telescope is specifically designed to detect transients in the night sky with unusual spectra, including ultraviolet emission. The system features a wedge prism mounted in front of the telescope, a large CMOS camera sensitive to UV, optical, and near-infrared light, and a frame rate of 10 frames per second.  It is designed to detect spectroscopically unusual transient sources, whether they are astrophysical events such as colliding black holes or potential signals from extraterrestrial technology.

The UV-Optical-IR Wide-field Objective Prism Telescope, operating in southern New Mexico. It takes spectra of every source within a 1-degree field-of-view at 10 frames per second.

The UV-Optical-IR Wide-field Objective Prism Telescope. It provides a 1-degree field-of-view and 10 frames per second. Constructed by Brian Hill (left), John Adler (right), and the Space Laser Awareness team.

A close-up of the large wedge prism at the front of the UV-Optical-IR Wide-field Objective Prism Telescope. Its 1 degree field of view and fast CMOS camera is designed to search for transients having unusual spectra.

Here is a representative spectrum from the Objective Prism Telescope in New Mexico, covering wavelengths from 320 to 950 nm. Every point within a 1-degree field of view produces spectra with this level of resolution.

Geoff, John, and Michael (left to right) constructing and deploying the PlaneWave mount for the UV-Sensitive Objective Prism Telescope.