Development of the 14.5m optical/infrared telescope (FORT)

Abstract

The 14.5m telescope programme was approved in 2024 which will significantly mitigate the demands of China’s astronomical community for 10m class large aperture optical/infrared telescope. The telescope will be located in the top astronomical sites with very good seeing conditions in Lenghu Qinghai province and is designed as a general-purpose telescope for a wide range of frontier astrophysics and astrometry research. The primary mirror consists of 120 hexagonal segments with a nominal circumscribed diameter of 1.44m. The unvignetting field of view (FOV) is 15 arcminute and system f-ratio 14.5. There are two Nasmyth foci fed by the flat tertiary mirror, a Coud focus and a wide field primary focus reserved. According to the current schedule, the telescope structure and control system will be completed in 2028 and the mirrors will be installed at the telescope starting from the late 2028 and finished all in 2030 together with three first generation science instruments working from optical to near infrared wavelength band.