The Palermo Astronomical Observatory carries out a technology program
for the design and development of optical echelle spectrographs for
large telescopes and is currently leading the Italian Consortia involved
in the construction of echelle spectrographs for the VLT (project
X-SHOOTER)
and for the LBT (project PEPSI). The main area of responsibility
of the Palermo Observatory for these projects is optical design,
optics procurement and test, in close collaboration with the GOLEM Team
at Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera. For these activities the Palermo
Observatory is setting up an optical laboratory (LAOS = Laboratory
for Astronomical Optics and Spectroscopy) that will gradually be
upgraded depending on the availability of financial resources and manpower.
The LAOS Team at OAPA is currently formed by R. Pallavicini (Team
leader), Paolo Spano` and Germano Sacco. Other researchers at OAPA
who have contributed in the past to these activities include Francesco Damiani and
Pasquale Caldara. Scientists at OAPA with an active interest in the
scientific use of echelle
spectrographs at large optical telescopes include also Ettore Flaccomio,
Giusi Micela, Roberto Pallavicini, Ignazio Pillitteri, Loredana Prisinzano and Paolo Spanò.
The technology program of optical spectroscopy at OAPA has been
financed by CNR, CNAA, MIUR, INAF and Regione Sicilia.