MegaPrime Project

At CFHT...


Access platform CUTE (Control Unit Thermal Enclosure) Telescope hoses
Cover mold
 Checking the upper end metrology on the telescope
Fitting the ring to the telescope
Assembling the upper end
Arrival
F/35 removal
Box opening
Lifting the ring

Access platform assembly - December 2001


The platform, handled by the
crane, is going to land over
the MegaPrime upper end

The platform is at its working
location. Floor and railing will be
installed in January. Stairs will
allow access to the platform
from the South pier.


CUTE (Control Unit Thermal Enclosure) - December 2001


CUTE is ready to leave Waimea 
for the summit, where it will be 
tested on the mezzanine before 
moving on the caisson central on
the telescope.

 

CUTE landing platform
on the caisson central. The fake 
CUTE, which is mounted
while CUTE is not on the
telescope, is seen on
the picture.
   
 

On the other side of the caisson central,
above the mirror cell, a counterweight
allows to balance the telescope.
A close-up on the left shows a few lead plates
compensating for the CUTE landing pad and
an empty CUTE...

Hoses on the telescope - November/December 2001

 
          
With MegaPrime, we enter a new era... Glycol hoses will be running
all over the telescope, allowing heat extraction from CUTE
(on the caisson central) and from the prime focus environment.
Helium lines will bring helium at prime focus for cooling down MegaCam...
Pictures show glycol hoses being installed on the telescope mount (left and center) 
and running from the alpha wrap to the mezzanine (right)


MegaPrime cover mold complete - August 21, 2001

The mold seen from outside.

The inside of the mold.
Height is 1.9m, and it's 1.2 m wide
The ladder gives the scale!


Upper end Metrology on the telescope - May 11, 2001
Where the Wide Field Corrector
will attach to the PFEB, 
a centering plate has been installed
On the top plate of the PFEB, 
a small CCD camera remotely
adjustable in z is used for checking
the position of the focus on star trails
A new upper end!
(well, a few pieces still missing)
...

MegaPrime Prime Focus Upper end Assembly - April 20, 2001

The first leg of the new spider 
is mounted on the ring
The PFEB is approaching 
the four legs of the spider
The MegaPrime upper end is now assembled
and sits at the location where the F/35 upper end 
used to sit...

MegaPrime ring fit to the telescope - April 3/4, 2001


The MegaPrime ring on its way to the telescope top end...