Optical Astronomy Final Year Double Honours Presentation Eoin
Optical Astronomy Final Year Double Honours Presentation Eoin Cartwright & John Loughran. Supervisor: Dr Créidhe Ní Shúilleabháin
Overview • • • Theory Telescope Setup Initial Observing CCD Setup Telescope Interfacing Development Filter Wheel Design
Refracting Telescope • Lens • Chromatic aberration
Reflecting Telescope • Newtonian Reflector
Reflecting Telescope • Cassegrain Reflector
Reflecting Telescope • Schmidt Cassegrain Reflector
Telescope Used
Telescope Used • • • Meade Lx 200 Schmidt Cassegrain Mirror diameter = 10” or 263. 5 mm Focal length = 2500 mm Focal ratio = f/10 Manual/handset control
Telescope Mount Type Azimuthal mount • Stable • More difficult to track objects
Telescope Mount Type Equatorial mount • Harder to construct • Easier to track objects
Telescope Setup • Meade Superwedge • Previous years • Azimuthal mount • Track 5 mins approx. • This year • Equatorial mount • Track 30 mins approx. • Rough Polar alignment • Precise Polar alignment
Rough Polar Alignment • Finding North • Levelling the mount • Obtained Latitude using GPS = 53° 22´ 58. 4"
Rough Polar Alignment • Dec = 90° • HA = 0 °
Precise Polar Alignment • Assumes Rough Polar Alignment procedure completed • Alignment procedure initiated using handset • Telescope attempts to align with Polaris • Centred on Polaris using N, S, E, W direction keys • Scope Slews to another star (Aldebaren, Hamal)
Precise Polar Alignment • Located this star using chart • Centred scope on this star using N, S, E, W direction keys • Process complete • Can now use handset to find a star
Initial Observations • Saturn, rings, Titan • Jupiter – Callisto, Europa, (Jupiter), Io, Ganymede • M 42 nebula • Andromeda galaxy, nucleus • Iridium satellite
Saturn
M 42
Observatory and Dome • Shelf • Seal floor and secure tripod • Network computers
Software Setup • CCD (Charge Coupled Device) Camera setup • Epoch 2000, Pictor. View –software for CCD • Configure Pictor for CCD, 9600 baud
CCD Setup • Flip mirror – align • Focus CCD – rough – fine
Telescope Interfacing Development Telescope handset • Allows access to telescope functions • Get R. A, Dec • Find
Reasons for development • Provides more convenient control – Particularly when using CCD camera • Back up – Repairs etc • Versatile – New handset needed for increased functionality
Replica Telescope Handset • Buttons separated • Buttons added • Connect • Quit • LED
First Steps • Sample Lab Windows, Lab View programs • Short RS 232 cable • Sent text messages between two personal computers • Chose to use Lab Windows • Modified Lab Windows to send telescope Commands
Reduced Lx 200 Command Set
Reduced Handset Replica
Connection Panel
Cable Configuration
Further Development • • Complete Handset functionality Give telescope co-ordinates Star map Integrate with CCD imaging software
Filter Wheel Colour imaging - RGB R ed G reen B lue Photometry - UBVRI U ltraviolet B lue V isual R ed I nfrared
Effective Temperature • LV = luminosity using Visual (green) filter • LVo = luminosity of reference star • m. V = apparent magnitude of star using V
Acknowledgements • • • Dr. Créidhe Ní Shúilleabháin David Watson Bill Lanigan Bart Busschotts Dr. Nicola Murphy Others…. .
- Slides: 43