Anglo-Australian Telescope
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| Organization | Anglo-Australian Observatory |
|---|---|
| Location | Siding Spring Observatory, Australia |
| Wavelength regime | optical/IR |
| Completion date | 1974 |
| Webpage | http://www.aao.gov.au/about/aat.html |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Telescope style | prime/Cassegrain/coudé |
| Diameter | 3.9m |
| Collecting area | 12m² |
| Focal length | 12.7m |
| Mounting | equatorial |
| Dome | spherical |
The Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) is a 3.9m equatorially mounted telescope located at Anglo-Australian Observatory (part of the Siding Spring Observatory complex, Australia) at an altitude of a little over 1100m. Jointly funded by the United Kingdom and Australia it is used for a number of instruments, perhaps most notably the Two Degree Field facility, or 2dF.
The telescope was commissioned in 1974 with a view to allowing high quality observations of the sky from the southern hemisphere, as in the 1970s most major telescopes were located in the north.
The equatorial mount it uses is now considered somewhat unusual. The AAT is one of the last great equatorials, more recent large telescopes having adopted instead the mechanically preferable altazimuth mount. Despite this handicap it set new standards for pointing and tracking accuracy.
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