The Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope was commissioned in 1974. It is a near twin of the Mayall 4-meter telescope on Kitt Peak. In 1995 it was dedicated and named in honor of Puerto Rican astronomer Víctor Manuel Blanco. It is also part of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), a visible and near-infrared survey that aims to probe the dynamics of the expansion of the Universe.
Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
| Name(s) |
Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope |
| Status |
Operational |
| Broad Science Goals |
|
| Site |
Cerro Tololo, Chile |
| Location Coordinates |
30°10.11'S
70°48.24'W |
| Altitude |
2207 meters (7240 feet) |
| Enclosure |
Spherical dome |
| Type |
Optical/reflecting telescope |
| Optical Design |
Ritchey-Chretien Cassegrain |
| Field of View |
DECam: 3 square degrees field
COSMO: 10 arcminutes circular field of view |
| Diameter: Primary M1 |
4 meters |
| Material: Primary M1 |
|
| Diameter: Secondary M2 |
1.3 meters |
| Material: Secondary M2 |
|
| Mount |
|
| First Light Date |
1976 |
|