The Stellar Observations Network Group - the Prototype

The Stellar Observations Network Group (SONG) has obtained full funding for the design, construction and implementation of a prototype telescope and instrumentation package for the first network node. We describe the layout of such a node and its instrumentation and expected performance for radial-velocity measurements. The instrumentation consists of a 1m telescope, equipped with two cameras for photometry of microlensing events with the lucky-imaging technique and a high-resolution spectrograph equipped with an iodine cell for obtaining high-precision radial velocities of solar-like stars, in order to do asteroseismology. The telescope will be located in a dome of ~ 4.5 m diameter, with two lucky-imaging cameras at one of the Nasmyth foci and the spectrograph and instrument control computers at a Coud{é} focus, located in an adjacent container. Currently the prototype telescope and instrumentation are undergoing detailed design. Installation at the first site (Tenerife) is expected during mid-late 2010, followed by extensive testing during 2011.