APOLLO: the Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation: Instrument Description and First Detections

Authors: T.W. Murphy, Jr., E.G. Adelberger, J.B.R. Battat, L.N. Carey, C.D. Hoyle, P. LeBlanc, E.L. Michelsen, K. Nordtvedt, A.E. Orin, J.D. Strasburg, C.W. Stubbs, H.E. Swanson, E. Williams

(Submitted on 3 Oct 2007 (v1), last revised 8 Nov 2007 (this version, v2))

Abstract: A next-generation lunar laser ranging apparatus using the 3.5 m telescope at the Apache Point Observatory in southern New Mexico has begun science operation. APOLLO (the Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation) has achieved one-millimeter range precision to the moon which should lead to approximately one-order-of-magnitude improvements in the precision of several tests of fundamental properties of gravity. We briefly motivate the scientific goals, and then give a detailed discussion of the APOLLO instrumentation.

Comments: 37 pages; 10 figures; 1 table: accepted for publication in PASP

Subjects: Astrophysics (astro-ph); General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)

Cite as: arXiv:0710.0890v2 [astro-ph]

Submission history

From: Thomas Murphy Jr. [view email]

[v1] Wed, 3 Oct 2007 21:11:55 GMT (423kb)

[v2] Thu, 8 Nov 2007 00:59:36 GMT (425kb)

http://arxiv.org/abs/0710.0890