Despite the fact that the largest Czech telescope with a 2-m primary mirror and a total weight of more than 80 tons has already celebrated 55 years in operation, it is in excellent technical condition. It has contributed to many important scientific results and today cooperates on the largest number of observation programs in its history. In 2006, the most recent modernization of the control system was carried out. In 2009, the control of the spectrographs was also improved. Both of these contracts were implemented by ProjectSoft company from Hradec Králové. In 2018, the optical system of the telescope was fundamentally rebuilt. Optical fibers were installed instead of auxiliary mirrors. This increased the telescope’s efficiency by up to 60%. The project was implemented by the TOPTEC center from Turnov (part of the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic). A CCD camera for imaging and photometry was newly installed in the primary focus. The observing configuration of the instruments – fiber spectrographs and photometric camera – can be changed within one minute.
On August 23, 2022 we celebrate fifty-five years since the official opening of the Perek 2-m telescope.
- AI AS CR press release (in Czech)
