Computer Science – Performance
Scientific paper
May 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009aas...21440908c&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #214, #409.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 41, p.672
Computer Science
Performance
Scientific paper
Instrument selectors create more productive telescopes and open research opportunities that require coordinated measurements, such as time-series photometry and spectroscopy of variable stars. They provide the convenience of permanent wiring and balancing. Moreover, they remove risks inherent when swapping equipment in the middle of the night.
While obviously essential for remote automated systems, they also facilitate the visitor/student/researcher multiuser scenarios of collegiate observatories.
Until recently, the only products available for telescopes in the 12 to 24 inch range have been either manually operated flip mirrors or oversized and heavy devices developed for large institutional systems. This is unfortunate because many smaller instruments are now fully capable of automated operation, but mechanically limited to a single sensor.
Now a new 4 way rotating mirror selector, developed by the Michigan instrument maker Optec at the request of the author, provides a lightweight and fully automated solution to supporting a collection of instruments on a single optical tube.
This project looks first at the performance of the new selector in terms of switching rate, settling time, reproducibility and programmability and at the the system level issues of instrument loads, flexure, balance, back focus and parfocalization.
The test configuration incorporates a photometric camera, two independent spectrographs, and a photometer, all mounted on a fully automated 0.35m telescope. Based upon initial results, the selector appears to provide a promising solution for both advanced amateurs and small college observatories.
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