Mark Ackermann (Sandia National Laboratories), John McGraw (University of New Mexico), Peter Zimmer (University of New Mexico)
Keywords: Instrumentation Design
Abstract:
A transportable, medium-aperture telescope with a segmented spherical primary mirror might find use as a spectroscopic space object identification tool. Systems with spherical primary mirrors are easier to produce, easier to align and easier to keep in alignment but image quality suffers greatly thereby placing significant demands on corrector optics. We present the design of an improved corrector for spherical primary telescopes. This design is novel, simple and adapts equally well to post prime-focus applications or to Cassegrain-form systems with spherical primary and spherical secondary mirrors.
Date of Conference: September 16-19, 2008
Track: Instrumentation Design