Optical Design for a New Off-Axis 1.7 m Solar Telescope (NST) at Big Bear

摘要

An optical design for a modern off-axis 1.6 m clear aperture solar telescope - the NST (New Solar Telescope) is presented. The NST will replace the 65 cm vacuum telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) in 2006. A high-order Adaptive optics (AO) system will deliver light to the current and planned complement of BBSO instrumentation. The NST will fully utilize the optical and dynamical range advantages of its unobstructed (off-axis) pupil.