Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope

The Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope at La Silla was built and is operated by the Geneva Observatory, Université de Genève (Switzerland) and named in honour of the famous Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler (1707–83). It is used in conjunction with the CORALIE spectrograph to conduct high precision radial velocity measurements principally to search for large exoplanets in the southern celestial hemisphere. Its first success was the discovery of a planet in orbit around the star Gliese 86 (eso9855). Other observing programmes focus on variable stars, astroseismology, the follow-up of gamma-ray bursts, monitoring of active galactic nuclei and gravitational lenses.

The CORALIE spectrograph, which began operations in June 1998, was developed through a collaboration between the Geneva Observatory and the Haute Provence Observatory (OHP) in France. It is an improved version of the ELODIE spectrograph now in operation at OHP, and with which the first exoplanet was found around the star 51 Pegasi, in 1995. CORALIE is so accurate that it can measure the motion of a star with a precision better than 7 m/s or 25 km/hour, which is about the speed of a very fast human runner!

Science goals

Search for exoplanets; asteroseismology; GRB follow-up

Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope

Name: Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope
Site: La Silla
Altitude: 2375 m
Enclosure: Classical dome
Type: Optical telescope
Optical design: Ritchey-Chrétien reflector
Diameter. Primary M1: 1.20 m
Material. Primary M1: ZeroDur
Diameter. Secondary M2: 0.30 m
Material. Secondary M2: ZeroDur
Diameter. Tertiary M3: 0.24 X 0.17 m (flat elliptical)
Mount: Alt-Azimuth fork mount
First Light date: 12 April 1998
Images taken with the Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope: Link
Images of the Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope: Link
Videos of the Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope: Link
Press releases with the Swiss 1.2-metre Leonhard Euler Telescope: Link