The Lunar - ground Ultraviolet Telescope ( LUT ) – the first robotic telescope on the Moon – has just completed its first 18 months of observation , consolidating the whim that the Moon has the potentiality to be the infrastructure of operation for the next leap fore in astronomy . The first results will be publish in the next issuance ofAstrophysics and Space Science .
The scope is on board Chang’e 3 , the first Chinese lunar lander to include a roamer , and it has show an incredibly stable performance . The instrument was not affected by oxidisation , which is a severe issue for the mirror on Earth - confine telescopes , or by protons from solar winds that can make over - excitation , thanks to the probe ’s shielding . Another possible limiting constituent for lunar - base observations is the presence of charged dust that could regard the scope by decreasing the efficiency of contemplation or transparency . This was figure out by affect the instrument inside a cabin , as the terminator ( the line between Nox and day ) approaches the lander .
The LUT is a robotic 15 - cm ( 6 - inch ) Ritchey - Chrétien scope , a scope with two inflated – U - shape – mirrors . Its scientific mission is to observe coltsfoot and stars in the nigh ultraviolet ambit ; the Earth ’s atmosphere is not lucid to ultraviolet illumination ignitor . Between 97 - 99 % of incoming UV radiation is blocked by the ozone layer . Not let the ozone would have grave consequences to life on Earth , though , as solar ultraviolet rays are extremely damaging to biologic substances .
The Moon has a very tenuous atmosphere compare to Earth , making it a perfect fix for uranology . The lack of atmospheric disturbance and slow rotation of our natural satellite allow for prolonged and continuous reflection of target . LUT is the first instrument carrying out this case of investigation ; by gazing at a region of interest for an extended menses of time , it allows for the generation of loose mutation maps that could lead to the formulation of more precise stellar theoretical account .
LUT is a harbinger for several lunar projects . There areprojects plannedfor very low radio uranology that can not be done on Earth , since the atmosphere is unintelligible at those frequencies , as well as written report of neutrinos and gamey - energy cosmic rays . The most interesting project is the creation of very long optical and infrared interferometers – tool that combine data from several scope to make gamey - declaration pictures . It ’s hoped that these could produce elaborate pictures of exoplanetary systems .
More details and prototype should be come from the LUT in the coming months .
Chang’e3 Lander ’s LUT captured this photo of Galaxy M101 on Day 2 of operation . Chinese Academy of Science
