Abstract
The ultraviolet stellar spectrophotometer S59 of the Utrecht Astronomical Institute uses the stabilization properties of the ESRO TD-1A satellite. This spacecraft scans the sky along eliptic meridians with an orbital precession of one degree per day, thus covering the whole celestial sphere in half a year. This property is combined with a tracking system which points the spectrophotometer during four minutes at stars of sufficient brightness. During this time interval the ultraviolet stellar spectrum is scanned with a resolution of 1.7 Å in three bands of about 100 Å, around 2110, 2545 and 2825 Å. The optical, mechanical and electronic properties of the instrument and its tracking system are described in some detail, as well as the optical and technical performance in laboratory tests and in orbit. Some results obtained during the first half year of operation are briefly described.
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de Jager, C., Hoekstra, R., van der Hucht, K.A. et al. The orbiting stellar ultraviolet spectrophotometer S59 in ESRO's TD-1A satellite. Astrophys Space Sci 26, 207–262 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00642637
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00642637