Low-cost Telescope Research Articles

Low-cost telescope introduces infrared astronomy to the classroom

Infrared sensors provide an opportunity for introductory students to experience light outside the visible range.

A low-cost telescope for enhanced stimulus visual field coverage in functional MRI

BackgroundA common limitation of typical projection systems used for visual fMRI is the limited field of view that can be presented to the observer within the scanner. A wide field of view over which stimuli can be presented is critical when investigating peripheral visual function, in particular visual disorders or diseases that lead to the loss of peripheral vision. New methodWe present a relatively low-cost Galilean telescopic device that can be used in most MRI scanners to double the effective visual field being presented. The system described is non-ferromagnetic, and compatible with most standard methods of visual presentation in MRI environments. The increase in area of visual cortex activation was quantified by comparing the extent of visual activity evoked by observing flickering checkerboards with and without the telescope in place. ResultsIn all three observers that reported image fusion from the telescope, the extent of cortical activation was greater with the telescope, while in the fourth observer there was no difference between the two methods due to a lack of fusion. ConclusionThe telescope is a low cost, easy to implement solution in situations where changes to the existing equipment or setup are not feasible.

Simulation of the optical performance of the Fluorescence detector Array of Single-pixel Telescopes

The Fluorescence detector Array of Single-pixel Telescopes (FAST) is a proposed large-area, next-generation experiment for the detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays via the atmospheric fluorescence technique. The telescope’s large field-of-view (30 ×30) is imaged by four 200 mm photomultiplier-tubes at the focal plane of a segmented spherical mirror of 1.6 m diameter. Two prototypes are installed and taking data at the Black Rock Mesa site of the Telescope Array experiment in central Utah, USA. We present the process used for optimization of the optical performance of this compact and low-cost telescope, which is based on a simulation of the telescope’s optical point spread function.

Mechatronic Approach towards Lightweight Mirrors with Active Optics for Telescope Systems

Midsized telescopes currently receive a lot of interest due to their application in free space optical communication and space debris observation. This paper analyzes an active mirror support system of a very thin meniscus with a diameter of 1 m and 25 mm thickness for the application in a lightweight, low-cost telescope. An analytic model for self-weight surface deflection is used to determine the number of concentric continuous support rings and find their radii to sufficiently support the mirror. The obtained radii are used as initial value for a finite element analysis to include shear effects and the presence of a central hole for optical access, enabling further improvement. Following that, a transition from continuous support rings to point supports is made. With a number of 24 support points, a surface RMS error of 10.9 nm can be achieved. Additionally, the requirements for an active support to correct low order aberrations are determined.

Rapid telescope pointing calibration: a quaternion-based solution using low-cost hardware

A telescope control system relies on a pointing model to determine the gimbal angles that aim the telescope toward a desired target. High-accuracy telescope pointing models include parameters that describe the mount/telescope orientation as well as common mechanical effects. For professional telescopes, calibrating the pointing model requires careful initial alignment around a nominal orientation (e.g., leveling) followed by sightings of dozens to hundreds of stars to fit the model parameters. While this approach is effective for observatories, applications such as transportable optical ground stations for communications, space situational awareness, or astronomy using low-cost telescope networks can benefit from a more rapid calibration approach. We formulate a quaternion-based pointing model that utilizes measurements from an externally mounted star camera to compromise between calibration speed and accuracy. A key aspect of this formulation is that it is completely agnostic to the orientation of the telescope/mount so that no manual prealignment is required. We derive angle and rate commands for telescope pointing and tracking based on the model. We present results from a 15-min calibration procedure on a very low-cost telescope that demonstrated pointing to an accuracy of 53 arc sec RMS in azimuth and 66 arc sec RMS between 20-deg and 70-deg altitude.

IPF 2014: The entrepreneurial professor

<xhtml:span xmlns:xhtml="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en">A low-cost telescope and a handheld contaminant sensor are among the new products that academic researchers have brought to market.</xhtml:span>

The Future of Robotic Telescopes for Education

AbstractThe development of robotic telescopes for education is reviewed. The problems associated with providing a service for students at different levels of education are discussed. Consideration is made of the hardware requirements in the students' institution and the compromises that are made to allow the maximum number of students to use facilities. The demands on teachers are considered along with the available methods of delivering educational projects related to curricular demands at the various stages. The likely developments in the technology are considered and estimates made of the probable timescales. Proposals are made to optimise student access to observing facilities that would involve the development of a linux-like collaboration around astronomy software and the development of low cost telescope systems. Proposals are made to realise such systems with the objective of providing universal access for students with Internet access.

Coude Auxiliary Telescope: A Low Cost Telescope At European Southern Observatory

The 1.4 m Coude Auxiliary Telescope (CAT) was designed for spectroscopy and will be used in coude focus. The telescope was designed as an "alt-alt" mounting ( i.e., altitude-altitude, which means that when the telescope is vertical, both axes about which it rotates are horizontal), which gives, mechanically, an attractive and inexpensive structure without any need for big counterweight systems. The optical configuration is of the Nasmyth type, with a flat, movable third mirror mounted in the center of the telescope. The main mirror has an f-ratio of f/3. The exit f-ratio is f/120. The telescope, situated in a tower separate from the operating center, is completely remote controlled. Guiding is performed via a low-light-level TV camera on the slit of the Coude Echelle Spectrograph (CES). The identical drive systems for the two axes in the alt-alt mounting are of the direct-drive type, with a torque motor, tacho generator, and encoder connected directly to the shaft without any reduction gear. The positioning system is based to a great extent on microprocessors.