Contest question, please help

[Bunhia]

Hi all,

I have a contest question, but I don't know how to get it. I hope that somebody here will answer it for me. It would be appreciated .

This question was taken from Russian Astronomy contest, but they didn't provide the answer.

Explain why set up a medium size telescope on the mountain on the Earth is better than on a low orbit satellite ?

Thank for looking up my question.

[redshifter]

Because it'll work better for terrestrial observing?

[The_Radiation_Specialist]

Because you can view the bright stars better?

[Bunhia]

Can you explain it more detail ?

[redshifter]

What do they mean by 'medium size telescope'? How do they define 'medium size'?

[aurora]

Maybe....

1. It is easier to maintain a telescope on the Earth, since humans can visit it anytime.

2. Russia doesn't have a space telescope, therefore earth based ones are better. :razz:

3. With adaptive optics, an earth based scope can approach the performance of a space based one by eliminating atmospheric effects. although this would be even better with a large scope, instead of a medium sized one, so maybe this isn't a good reason.

4. The medium sized earth based scope would be a lot lower cost, so more could be built, affording more scope time to more researchers. And experienced amateurs! :dance:

[Manchurian Taikonaut]

Maybe....


4. The medium sized earth based scope would be a lot lower cost, so more could be built, affording more scope time to more researchers. And experienced amateurs! :dance:

I suppose this could be the main reason,
Russia did have many space telescopes and Space observatories like Granat for X-ray/gamma ray, Kvant astrophysics module, and they are currently helping American and European scientists with the Integral mission
the Russians have a powerful ground based telescope, Zelenchukskaya ( Зеленчукская ) the Caucasus Mountains site of the Special Astrophysical Observatory
http://goldmine.mib.infn.it/galleries/PhotoGallery4/pages/h5m_BTA_6m.html
6-m telescope (BTA - Big Telescope Alt-azimuthal)

[Dave Mitsky]

Are you going to share the prize? :)

Dave Mitsky