2.5 m wide-field and high-resolution telescope

Abstract

We propose to construct a 2.5 m wide-field and high-resolution telescope (WeHiT).It will be the first facility in the world with a special innovative design and can conduct bothhigh-resolution solar observations and the wide-field night sky survey. Its scientific objectivescover solar physics, time-domain astronomy, galactic astrophysics, and exoplanet science, all ofwhich are recent hot topics in astronomy. The telescope can provide top-ranked data for Chineseastronomers. In particular, as the largest on-axis solar telescope in the world with wide-field thanall large solar telescopes operating at present, it can provide unprecedented high-resolution solardata, which can help us obtain breakthrough achievements in the study of solar active regionsand solar eruptions, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The data are also veryuseful for the study of space weather. As a large telescope in the China time-zone, the telescopeis very unique in continuously monitoring short-time transient events by filling the gap in thetime-zone. Furthermore, it can provide valuable high-quality data of the narrow-band extragalacticsurvey, nearby galaxy study and exoplanet survey. Moreover, the telescope is a top-level one whichcan make essential contribution to training the graduate and undergraduate students majoring inobservational astronomy.