Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics & Technology (NIAOT) has participated in the upgrading project of one-meter telescope in MAO observatory, Uzbekistan which is organized by National Astronomical Observatory. And NIAOT has undertaken the mechanical and control modifications. With the support of National Astronomical Observatory and Uzbekistan, the project team members of NIAOT had overcame the difficulty of work environment on-site and living condition. They had finished the site work of mechanical and control modifications on May 31st, 2016 and achieved the telescope's precision pointing and tracking capabilities. The feedback accuracy of ascension axis tracking encoder (RMS) in one hour was 0.208” and it reached the advanced level of similar telescope. MAO observatory is belong to Ulugh Beg Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. It has a world-class excellent astronomical conditions and 80% of astronomical seeing is better than 0.8”.

The one-meter telescope of MAO observatory was developed by former democratic Germany Zeiss Company in 1978 and had been unworked for a long time. Its diameter was one meter and the rack was British. The length of tube was 4.2m and the weight was 4.8 tons. It had a heavy weight which was about 17 tons and it led too big moment of inertia of ascension axis and declination axis and full circle of shafting was not stable enough. The ascension axis and declination axis were used by 1.2m diameter worm gearing driving. After modification, the previous complex intermediate transmission structure in the 80s has been replaced by modern servo drive motor. With installation of a high-precision feedback encoder and control system, it has achieved high precision pointing and tracking.

The one-meter Telescope in MAO Observatory, Uzbekistan

The Tracking Error Curve of Ascension Axis in one Hour

(Ordinate Units is Angular Seconds)

Exposure Image of Guiding Telescope CCD in 10 Minutes

(Provided by Dr.Burkhonov Otabek)