Thai National Observatory: TNO

The Thai National Observatory (TNO) is one of Asia's most advanced facilities in optical astronomy. It is one of the few a 2.4-meter optical telescopes located near the equator and at the ~100-degree-east longitude. This allows a large portion of the sky in both the northern and southern hemispheres to be observed, as well as alleviating the paucity of observing facilities at ~100-degree east in supporting global time-domain observation campaigns. 

The TNO is on Doi Inthanon, the highest peak in Thailand, located in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The mountain itself and the region are popular tourist destinations. TNO is two kilometer from the summit at the elevation of 2,457 meters above the sea level. This altitude is above the local temperature inversion layer, thereby affording the best mitigation of the atmospheric aerosol in the country. The telescope serves as a foundation for advanced research in astronomy in the Southeast Asia, and perhaps equally important is to train our next generation of scientists and to serve as a platform to develop advanced technologies in optics and photonics (e.g., in-house spectrograph, coronagraph, and adaptive optics), mechatronics, and control system. The observatory will, therefore, play a significant role in supporting cutting edge research and technology development.

The 2.4-meter Thai National Telescope 

The TNT is a 2.4-meter Ritchey-Chretien telescope in an alt-azimuth drive system. The mounting is motivated by our goal to minimize the footprint of the observatory in our pristine national forest park. As such, the extremely compact telescope dome co-rotates with the telescope — fitting like a glove. Yet, the telescope mount delivers a slew rate as fast as 4 degrees/second with sub-arcsecond tracking accuracy over typical astronomical image exposures. The telescope has two Nasmyth ports for instrumentation; one has an instrument selector cube capable of holding 500 kg of the instrument to allow for rapid swapping of cameras and a fiber-fed medium-resolution spectrograph. The primary mirror is made of aluminum-coated ultra-low expansion lithium-aluminosilicate glass-ceramics; the mirror itself is f/1.5 with the system focal ratio of f/10 and delivering a field of view of 14.6 arcminutes. The telescope is manufactured at EOST in Tucson, Arizona, USA with the mirror supplied by LZOS in Russia. 

The TNO consists of two buildings: 

1. The telescope dome is a 9-meter dome that co-rotates with the telescope at the same 4 degrees/second rate; the time it takes to go from fully-closed to fully-open is less than 2 minutes. It is designed by EOST and fabricated in Thailand. Again, this is a uniquely compact dome for a telescope of its size, which reflects our goal to minimize the observatory's disturbance of the local forest. The telescope dome has three levels: the first level houses computers and electronics for telescope and dome control, the second level is the base of the telescope and the computer for astronomical instrument control, and the third level is the telescope itself.
2. The 2-story control building is adjacent to the telescope dome, with a bridge on its roof providing access to the telescope dome. The control room itself is on the second floor, along with a small exhibition on the story of the TNO and a medium resolution spectrograph — fed by a fiber optics from the telescope. The ground floor houses an instrumentation preparation area and a living quarter for telescope operators. 

The rooftop of the control building has just welcomed our newest member: a 1-meter robotic telescope supplied by PlaneWave Instruments. The goal is to alleviate the proposal pressure on the TNO for photometric and imaging studies and to provide a greater access for the broader communities from both Thailand and abroad. In addition, the 1-meter telescope will provide a more seamless support to the Thai Robotic Telescope System (TRT) that allows observations to be automatically scheduled and observed in one of our robotic telescopes around the world.

This section contains information for visiting researchers.

Its contents change and are updated frequently.  

These pages are primarily intended for people who are already in contact with NARIT.

Observing Horizon

TNO Instructions Visiting Astronomers

TNO End of run Form v2

Arrival Information

Study Jupiter's atmoshpere

we are interested in the ever-changing atmosphere of Jupiter and the occurrence of those giant red spots.

Jupiter which are captured by Point grey camera

Project leader : Dr. Saran Poshyachinda, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Astronomy is the domain of slow phenomena, with stellar and galactic evolution taking place on scales of millions and billions of years. However, there are also numerous processes taking place on much faster scales. These are often not detectable in standard observations which are generally limited to time resolutions longer than 1 second. At NARIT, we investigate phenomena such as occultations of stars by the Moon, leading to accurate measurements of stellar diameters, to the discovery and study of close binary stars with separations of just a few milliseconds of arc, and to the detection and investigation of circumstellar matter surrounding both very young and very evolved stars. NARIT is now one of the most advanced and productive poles for this area of research in the world. Other high temporal resolution research carried out at NARIT involves stochastic phenomena observed in the light curves of stellar sources such as flickering, and the transits and occultations of planets and other substellar bodies both in the Solar Sytem and around other stars.

Cataclysmic variables

A cataclysmic variable (CV) is one of the most complicated yet most interesting close binary system to be observed. Hosting a white dwarf primary star and low mass main sequence secondary companion, this system exhibits many fascinating phenomena such as outbursts, superhumps, oscillations, and flickering. CV research in NARIT covers both observational and theoretical studies for different type of CV sub-classes, including magnetic and non-magnetic systems,  AM CVn star, and detached white dwarf binary. We are focusing on doing the follow-up observation of selected stars to obtain the orbital parameters of these systems. Aside from the observational research, we investigate the evolution scenario and population synthesis study of non-magnetic CV and post common-envelope binary.

NARIT EXTragalactic astronomy and COSmology (NEXTCOS) group

What causes the late-time accelerating expansion of the Universe? And how do the large-scale structures (e.g. galaxies, groups and clusters of galaxies) form and evolve? These are the key main questions of modern cosmology and astrophysics. We can further our understanding on these important questions through astronomical observations such as cosmological redshift surveys of galaxies and quasars, utilising probes such as Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), Redshift-Space Distortions (RSD), gravitational weak lensing and Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect. We are also interested in using measurements of primordial non-Gaussianity in the galaxy clustering to learn more about physics of the early Universe. Other research interests include galaxy formation theory and the role Super-Massive Black Holes (SMBH) as an engine of the Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) plays on the galaxy evolution.

Asteroseismology of stars across H-R diagram

Asteroseismology  is a rapidly-developing, powerful tool of stellar astrophysics  that accurately measures stellar parameters by virtue of stellar acoustic oscillation frequencies. The acoustic spectrum is directly sensitive to the structure of stellar interiors. Thus, this is a direct advantage of asteroseismology  compared to classical spectroscopic and photometric methods. Asteroseismology research  in NARIT is focused  on oscillating mass-accreting components of interacting eclipsing binary stars, rapidly-oscillating magnetic chemically-peculiar stars  and other types of variable stars across H-R diagram..

Exoplanet search

Extra-solar planet discoveries  and studies have become an attractive, fruitful and challenging area  of modern astrophysics. Nearly two thousands of extrasolar planet have been discovered.  Studies of exoplanet  are important due to the potential to address fundamental questions about our Solar System and the theories of planetary formation. The NARIT extra-solar planet search group is focused on both spectroscopic radial velocity and transit time variation methods of planet detections.

Active galactic nuclei

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are well known relativistic objects by their extremal properties such as flux variability from radio to gamma waves, the lagest luminosity in our Universe. The variability time-scales decrease with decreasing of observing wavelength and drop to several days in X-ray.It gives the restriction to the size of central engine, that cannot be larger few light-days. The mass of the central object can be estimated through the luminosity and kinematics of gas and stars, and it is within the range of 10^6-10^10 Msun. So, only one theoretically known object, black hole, can fit to these parameters. A galaxy hosting an AGN is called an active galaxy. The activity in galactic nuclei (AGN) has been studied extensively by many research teams since its discovery in the 1950s. The determination of a size of the ?broad-line region? (BLR) and mass of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) is one of the most important research area of AGN study despite a lot attention that was paid in the last years. In this term it is very important to know the internal properties responsible for nuclear activity. Their could be revealed through study of isolated AGNs

Live Weather Condition at TNO

N E W S

0.5 m telescope?s (sliding roof) dome on the deck of TNO control building

Telescope

Model: PlaneWave CDK24

Inside the dome, PlaneWave CDK24 mounted on Paramount ME

Mount

Model: Paramount (ME)

CCD

Model: Apogee Altra U9000 with L, R, G, Bfilter

Apogee U9000 with filter wheel mounted to telescope

Scientific Imaging Systems

There are a number of scientific instruments available for use with the 2.4-metre Thai National Telescope. Each instrument has specific purpose for collecting the data and astronomers can request what they want to use in each night as list below. An instrumental cube on the TNT has 4 available instrument ports which have ULTRASPEC, ARAC 4K, and Medium Resolution Spectrograph permanently mounted on. We therefore have only one port left to put instrument on request. If you are interesting at these instruments. Please click below for more information.

Scientific Camera

Spectrograph

ULTRASPEC

ULTRASPEC on the TNT provides imaging photometry over a field of view 7.7' x 7.7' with a pixel scale of 0.45"/pixel. A selection of 14 differenct broad-band and narrow-band filters can be accommodated in its 6 - possition filters wheel, covering the wavelength range 300 - 1000 nm.  Zero read out noise is available via the avalanche output. The detector is liquid-nitrogen-cooled to 160 K, providing dark cuurent of less than 10 e-/ pixel/hr. The maximum frame trate using small, binned windows in drift mode is approximately 200 Hz. It comes with variety of filters such as Clear, NaI, SDSS u', SDSS g', SDSS r', SDSS i', SDSS z', CIII/NIII_HeII, Red continuum, Halpha broad, Blue continuum, Halpha narrow, SDSS i'+z', KG5 and CIII/NIII_HeI  Find more information; Click Here

Medium Resolution Spectrograp; MRES

The main spectrograph of TNT is in between the assemble at China under MOU with Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics & Technology; National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Nanjing China. It is specific to be medium resolution because of suitable with 2.4 m, f/10 and also most of astronomers study on this region. It has spectral resolution at 15,000 and covers wavelength 390 to 880 nm, also there is spectral format of Echelle cross-dispersed Diffraction orders : 41-92. Its detector is Andor, 2048 x 512 pixel; pixel size is at 13.5 microns. Installation will be start on October 2014 and then use in scientific purpose on the coming observing season.

APOGEE U42

There is one commercial scientific camera which is used to collect light intensity at night with Thai National Telescope, TNT. It is APOGEE U42 due to exceptionally high quantum efficiency and it has a back-illuminated full frame 4-megapixel CCD with the standard midband coating that reach the highest peak in the visible. Its arrray size (pixels) is at 2048 x 2048 and size of pixel is 13.5 x 13.5 microns. Also it has digital resolution at 16 bit. Its FOV is 4' x 4' and the minimum exposure time is at 20 milliseconds and the maximum of this is at 183 minutes. Moreover, it is available with Apogee AI-FW50 Serise Filter Wheels which provide a large format filtering solutions for observation. The FW50 filter wheel currently has two interchangeable filter carousels; A large 9 position 50 mm round wheel ideal for Alta U42. There are U, B, V, Rc and Ic filter for photometry and L, R, G and B filter for photography; Find more specification of U42; Click Here

APOGEE U9000

Another comercial scientific camera used to do the research now at TNT is The Apogee U9000. A very large format 9-megapixel full frame sensor with anti-blooming gates, ideal for applications requiring large field of view, such as astrophotography, sky surveys and radiology.  Its arrray size (pixels) is at 3056 x 3056 and size of pixel is 12 x 12 microns and also 16 bit digitization. The minimum exposure time is at 30 milliseconds and the maximum of this is at 183 minutes. Find more specification of U9000. There are U, B, V, Rc and Ic filter for photometry and L, R, G and B filter for photography; Click Here

ARC 4K Camera

ARC 4K Camera is the important scientific camera for TNT in the 2015 observing season and it is now attaching and test with 2.4 m. It has 16 megapixel, built and delivered under the contract with Astronomical Consultants & Equipment Inc, ARC; as the camera comes with auto-guider then it has high performance to track the object or the specific target on astronomer requested. It also come with U B V R I, H-alpha and red continuum filters. Nevertheles, it is now during the test period so it will be available for doing the research in the next observing season.

Camera for planetary photography

High Frame rate cameras for imaging of solar planetary bodies. Suitable for using with Lucky imaging technique to achieve high angular resolution imaging of planet surface. 

Point Grey

Point grey, a 1-megapixel camera with a set of UV, BVR, IR and methane filters, is a Grasshopper Express camera widely employed in the study of planetary atmosphere. FOV is at 42.4" x 42.4". The main purpose is for studying of planets such as Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. It is sentitive to light and take the picture in the high fram rate per second which allows researchers to do the lucky image technique to follow the surface of planet and then study the change of its in each year. For more information; Click Here

eShel spectrograph

The comercial spectrograph,eShel, is used to do the research at TNT in the mean time of assembling Medium Resolution Spectrograph, MRES. It is good medium spectrograph with 2.4 diameter telescope due to large collecting light area for studying the spectrum of stars and other objects to find out the property of them. Its resolution is at 10,000 ; cover wavelength between 450 nm and 700 nm. Also It comes with calibration unit. Furthermore, Software provided with components is open source, base on AudeLA platform which autometicly reduce spectrum. For more information; Click Here

Meaburn spectrograph

The low resolution spectrograph is used to study the property of galaxy. It is donated bythe University of Manchester through Prof. John Meaburn.

        The observatory's construction exemplifies NARIT's spirit of international collaboration, with parts and instruments sourced from around the globe.

        The observatory houses the Thai National Telescope (TNT), a telescope with a 2.4-meter primary mirror, and a Ritchey-Chretien optical layout. The telescope is in an 'Altitude-Azimuth' mounting, with two Nasmyth foci. The telescope was manufactured by Electro-Optical Systems in Tucson, Arizona, USA.   The 2.4 meter primary mirror was fabricated and underwent fine polishing at the Lytkarino Optical Glass Factory (LZOS) facility near Moscow.

2.4 m Telescope Structure

Secondary Mirror	Mirror Support

Corrector Lens	Azimuth Motor

Instruments Cube

Location    Km. 44 on Doi Inthanon (the highest  mountain in Thailand), Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Coordinates 18? 34? N   98? 28? E

Altitude 2,457 meter

     The Thai National Observatory is located near the summit of Doi Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand.   At 2,457 meters above sea level, the observatory is above much of the surrounding weather, and is beyond the light pollution from large cities.   During observing season (roughly November through May), typical seeing is around 2 arcseconds.

Inthanon National Park, located in Chiang Mai Province, hosts other scientific and agriculatural research projects, and is a popular tourist destination thanks to its many natural features and thriving ecosystem.   It is near the City of Chiang Mai, Thailand's second largest city, and home to NARIT headquarters