Bok 2.3m Telescope

Bok 2.3m Telescope

The 90" (2.3 m) Bok Telescope on Kitt Peak is the largest telescope operated solely by Steward Observatory. The telescope was dedicated on June 23, 1969 (see Sky & Telescope 34, 79 [1967] and 38, 164 [1969]) and on April 28, 1996 was officially named in honor of Prof. Bart Bok, director of Steward Observatory 1966-1969. The telescope operates every night of the year except Christmas Eve and a maintenance period scheduled during the summer rainy season. The Bok Telescope is available for use by astronomers from the University of ArizonaArizona State University, and Northern Arizona University.

The Bok Telescope offers a choice of two Cassegrain focal stations: an f/9 Ritchey-Chretien focus for visible-wavelength observations and an f/45 focus for infrared observations. Both stations support a wide variety of facility and private-investigator (PI) instrumentation including a prime focus imaging system, 90Prime, with a field of view of over one degree is available for use.

Below are links to the optical and instrument specifications to assist observers.

Bok Specifications

Location Specifications

Longtitude

-111.6004

Latitude

31.9629

Elevation

6795 ft.

Telescope Specifications

Aperture

2.29 m per mirror

Focal Length  

6.08 m

Mount

Equatorial

Additional Information on telescope specifications

Additional information regarding optical specifications

Instruments

BCSpec

Boller & Chivens Spectrograph

90Prime

Prime Focus CCD Mosiac Camera

SPOL

Imaging Spectropolarimeter (PI Instrument: Contact Paul Smith)

Additional instrumentation & Science Operations