Telescopes for a lunar outpost

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of lunar-based telescopes. It begins with a review of the impressive attributes of the moon for astronomy which include a hard vacuum, seismic stability, low gravitational field, large surface area, dark and radio-quiet skies on the far-side, cold craters at the poles, and an abundance of raw materials. These attributes, coupled with the availability of technicians at a lunar outpost, make the moon the most attractive site for the next generation of space-based observatories. It is argued that modest, light-weight instruments such a generic 1-m optical/UV/IR telescope and a low radio frequency phased array are well suited for early deployment on the moon. More advanced concepts such as a 16-m filled aperture telescope and an optical interferometer will make unprecedented strides in sensitivity and resolution. Although complex, such telescopes are well-suited to an evolutionary construction and deployment scheme.