The RCT 1.3-meter Robotic Telescope: Broad-band Color Transformation and Extinction Calibration

• Published in: arXiv.org 2013-12
• Main Authors: Louis-Gregory Strolger, Gott, Andrew M, Carini, Michael, Engle, Scott, Gelderman, Richard, Guinan, Edward, Laney, C David, McGruder, Charles, Treffers, Richard R, Walter, Donald K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Broadband; Calibration; Color; Extinction; Photometry; Robotics; Robustness (mathematics); Telescopes; Transformations
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1312.6272

The RCT 1.3-meter telescope, formerly known as the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) 50-inch telescope, has been refurbished as a fully robotic telescope, using an autonomous scheduler to take full advantage of the observing site without the requirement of a human presence. Here we detail the current configuration of the RCT, and present as a demonstration of its high-priority science goals, the broadband {\it UBVRI} photometric calibration of the optical facility. In summary, we find the linear color transformation and extinction corrections to be consistent with similar optical KPNO facilities, to within a photometric precision of 10% (at \(1\sigma\)). While there were identified instrumental errors likely adding to the overall uncertainty, associated with since-resolved issues in engineering and maintenance of the robotic facility, a preliminary verification of this calibration gave good indication that the solution is robust, perhaps to a higher precision than this initial calibration implies. The RCT has been executing regular science operations since 2009, and is largely meeting the science requirements set in its acquisition and re-design.