PLATOSpec

PLATOspec
E152 telescope
Alternative namesESO 1.52-metre telescope Edit this at Wikidata
LocationLa Silla Observatory
Coordinates29°15′21″S 70°44′20″W / 29.2558654°S 70.738923°W / -29.2558654; -70.738923 Edit this at Wikidata
OrganizationCzech Republic Astronomical Institute of CAS
Germany Karl Schwarzschild Observatory
Chile Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
Altitude2,330 m (7,640 ft) Edit this at Wikidata
Wavelength380 to 700 nm
First light2024
Diameter152 cm
Websitestel.asu.cas.cz/plato/
PLATOSpec is located in Chile
PLATOSpec
Location within Chile
 Wikimedia Commons logo Related media on Commons
[edit on Wikidata]

PLATOSpec is an astronomical fiber fed echelle spectrograph designed to provide ground support for exoplanet-searching space telescopes, especially PLATO, but also TESS, ARIEL, and TOLIMAN. The instrument was developed by a consortium of Czech, German, and Chilean institutions and companies led by the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences. It is installed at the E152 telescope at La Silla Observatory in Chile, formerly used for the Coudé Spectrograph. PLATOSpec saw its first light in 2024 and its first scientific results were published in 2025.

References

  1. ↑ "The new PLATOSpec spectrograph in Chile developed with contributions from scientists at the MU Faculty of Science". Faculty of Science MU | MUNI SCI. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  2. 1 2 "Distant stars: Graz astrophysicists test new PLATOSpec spectrograph in Chile". www.uni-graz.at. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  3. ↑ "Toliman - nová mise pro hledání exoplanet - Vesmír pro lidstvo". www.vesmirprolidstvo.cz. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  4. ↑ "The search for another Earth – the PLATO space mission has reached a milestone in its preparation. What other missions are the Czechs planning?". vedavyzkum.cz. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  5. ↑ Kabáth, P; Skarka, M; Hatzes, A; Guenther, E; Vanzi, L; Brahm, R; Janík, J; Pintr, P; Gajdoš, P; Lipták, J; Žák, J; Boffin, H M J; Antonucci, L; Avila, G; Balkóová, Z (2025). "PLATOSpec: a precise spectrograph in support of space missions". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 545 (1). doi:10.1093/mnras/staf1972. ISSN 0035-8711.
  6. ↑ admin (2022-04-13). "The E152 telescope in the Chilean Atacama Desert is in Czech use". Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. ↑ "TLS - Thüringer Landessternwarte - Thuringian State Observatory Achieves Milestone in Construction of New Spectrograph PLATOSpec". www.tls-tautenburg.de. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  8. ↑ společnost, Česká astronomická (2024-12-17). "PLATOSpec, nový spektrograf v Chile pro lov exoplanet". ČAS (in Czech). Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  9. ↑ Zak, J.; Kabath, P.; Boffin, H. M. J.; Liptak, J.; Skarka, M.; Brahm, R.; Gajdoš, P.; Bocchieri, A.; Itrich, D.; Vanzi, L.; Pintr, P.; Janik, J.; Hatzes, A. (2025). "PLATOSpec's first results: Planets WASP-35b and TOI-622b are on aligned orbits, and K2-237b is on a polar orbit". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 702: A266. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202556115. ISSN 0004-6361.