Sinan Alis

A microwave kinetic inductance detector for the DAG telescope

We present the details of a proposed microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) for the DAG (Eastern Anatolia Observatory in Turkish) telescope, DAG-MKID. The observatory will have a modern 4m size telescope that is currently under construction. Current plan to obtain the first light with the telescope is late 2019. The proposed MKID based instrument will enable astronomers to simultaneously detect photons in the relatively wide wavelength range of 4000 - 13500 Å with a timing accuracy of μs and spectral resolution R = ⋋/▵ ⋋ =10−25. With a planned field of view of approximately an arcminute, DAG-MKID will mostly be used for follow-up observations of transient or variable objects as well as a robust tool to measure photometric redshifts of a large number of galaxies or other extra-galactic objects.

DAG telescope site studies and infrastructure for possible international co-operations

The selected site for the 4 m DAG (Eastern Anatolian Observatory in Turkish) telescope is at “Karakaya Ridge”, at 3170 m altitude (3150 m after summit management). The telescope’s optical design is performed by the DAG technical team to allow infrared observation at high angular resolution, with its adaptive optics system to be built in Turkey. In this paper; a brief introduction about DAG telescope design; planned instrumentation; the meteorological data collected from 2008, clear night counts, short-term DIMM observations; current infrastructure to hold auxiliary telescopes; auxiliary buildings to assist operations; the observatory design; and coating unit plans will be presented along with possible collaboration possibilities in terms of instrumentation and science programs.

Project management of DAG: Eastern Anatolia Observatory

The four meter DAG (Eastern Anatolia Observatory in Turkish) telescope is not only the largest telescope in Turkey but also the most promising telescope in the northern hemisphere with a large potential to offer scientific observations with its cutting edge technology. DAG is designed to be an AO telescope which will allow both infrared and visible observations with its two Nasmyth platforms dedicated to next generation focal plane instruments. In this paper, status updates from DAG telescope will be presented in terms of; (i) in house optical design of DAG, (ii) tender process of telescope, (iii) tender process of enclosure, and (iv) tender process of the observatory building. Also status updates from the focal plane instruments project and possible collaboration activities will be presented.

Status of Focal Plane Instrumentation (FPI) project of the 4m DAG telescope

DAG (Eastern Anatolia Observatory in Turkish) will be the newest and largest (4m) observatory of Turkey in both optical (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) with its robust observing site infrastructure. The telescope is designed¬ to house 2 Nasmyth platforms which will be dedicated to NIR and VIS observations. A collaboration has recently been established among four Turkish universities including FMV Işık University (for adaptive optics systems), Middle East Technical University (for measurement, test and calibration purposes), Istanbul University (for new technology instruments, e.g. MKIDs) and as the coordinator Ataturk University (for obtaining NIR and VIS instruments). In this paper the status of the recently approved FPI project and its aims are presented and possible collaboration opportunities are emphasized.

Telescope and Researcher Potential of Turkey for Collaboration in CV Studies

Turkish astronomical community has witnessed the construction of several telescopes in the last 10 years. These telescopes and the potential of young researchers in the country motivated this poster presentation which aims to receive attention for collaboration in the field of cataclysmic variables and related objects.