Large Binocular Camera

People involved at OAB: Diolaiti

The Large Binocular Camera (LBC) is a double imaging camera for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The project involves the Astronomical Observatories of Roma, Arcetri, Padova and Trieste. Each LBC unit includes a 6-lens optical corrector and a 6K $\times$ 6K CCD detector array; the two cameras, also named Blue and Red Channels, are optimized for the blue and the red parts of the visible spectrum and are characterized by a very fast focal ratio (F/1.45) and a wide field of view (approximately 30$^{\prime}$ in diameter). This instrument has been designed for multi-band observations in seeing-limited mode; it is provided with two types of filters: standard photometric Bessel filters ($U$, $B$, $V$ on the Blue Channel and $V$, $R$, $I$ on the Red Channel) and custom filters, still under definition, designed for specific applications. The Blue Channel of LBC will be the first light instrument of the Large Binocular Telescope.

Emiliano Diolaiti, formerly with the University of Padova and the Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, has been hired by OAB in December 2003. He collaborates with the Arcetri group on the design and integration of the opto-mechanical parts of the instrument. In particular, during the year 2003, he has worked on the finalization of the Red Channel design, on the laboratory integration and alignment of the Blue Channel corrector, which is going to be installed at the telescope in 2004, and on the definition and procurement of the filters, still in progress.