The before and after images were essentially identical, indicating that any residual high frequency optical features are associated with the primary. When compared to other telescopes tested in a similar manner by the Roddiers, the WIYN optical system appears to be at least as good if not better than any other 4-m class telescope in the world. Concurrent with this optical work, the installation of the primary mirror active thermal control system was completed. The thermal system has been active during all subsequent night-time operations. 0.2 deg C of the ambient temperature all night long, starting shortly after sunset.
Image quality is degraded at longer exposures times due to poor telescope tracking.
Poor tracking is not unexpected at this time since the Project has not yet tuned the telescope pointing and tracking parameters. Tuning telescope pointing and tracking will be the Project's main activity during the next month. Once that is completed, longer duration exposures will be acquired to assess image stability. An early WIYN stellar image obtained with the secondary and tertiary mirrors resting on their hard points. The MOS Nasmyth port wide-field corrector lenses have recently been received from Rayleigh Optical of Tucson and are being tested in the NOAO optical shop.