Dr Theo ten Brummelaar (Associate Director, Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA), Georgia State University)

The CHARA Array - Optical/IR Interferometry - Dr Theo ten Brummelaar Colloquium

ATNF Marsfield Lecture Theatre

Abstract

The CHARA Array is a six element optical/IR interferometer constructed
on Mount Wilson observatory in California by Georgia State University.
Each input element is a 1 metre alt/az telescope and the six telescopes
are distributed around the mountain in Y configuration with a maximum
baseline of 354m. Five of the six telescopes are now fully operational
and the sixth telescope will come on line later this year. Regular
science observations began this year. In this talk I will present an
overview of the CHARA Array, the science programs underway and the
current, and planned, collaborations with other institutions, including
the Observatory in Paris, Grenoble, the University of Michigan, and the
University of Sydney. I will also describe some of the work I have been
doing while here in Australia under the Expatriate Scientist Award
program sponsored by the University of Sydney, CSIRO and the department
of education and training in NSW.