Updates: University of Denver STUDENT ASTRONOMY
LAB
The University of Denver -
Glenn E.
Montgomery - Student Astronomy Lab:
An Afocal Mersenne Telescope for Teaching and Research
Autumn 2006: Begin upgrades with stepper motors and encoders necessary to run VYSOS class Labview control software.
2005: Careful monitoring of comet Machholz and using FINDORB confirms
JPL orbit.
[see: https://portfolio.du.edu/pc/port2?page=3&uid=6695
]
Autumn 2004: half scale
optics focal length 2.785 meters.
3/8/04
– FIRST LIGHT! -- visual viewing of Venus, Mars, Saturn and
M42. Satisfying, but additional
tweaking will be needed.
More specs and details about
the engineering: Equinox Intersciences: http://www.eisci.com/sal-du.html
The University of Denver - Glenn E.
Montgomery - Student Astronomy Lab:
An Afocal Mersenne Telescope for Teaching and Research
A new 76-cm aperture handicapped accessible telescope exhibiting novel design features is nearing completion for installation on the roof of the Space Science Laboratory building on the main campus of the University of Denver during 2002. This Glenn Montgomery Student Astronomy Laboratory (SAL) instrument is being built by Equinox Interscience, Inc. incorporates a Coude optical path working in combination with a vertical periscope to bring the optical path working in combination with a vertical periscope to bring the optical beam to a location inside a laboratory room on the NW corner of the building, where visible and IR observations can be conducted. The primary and secondary mirrors are arranged in the Afocal Mersenne configuration to provide a collimated compacted beam for folding through the rotating RA and DEC axes of the telescope mount. A figure-4 pair of optical flats then directs the compacted beam vertically downward into the indoor laboratory, through visible or IR band auxiliary condensing telescopes, to locations where visual observers (including wheelchair bound persons) or visible or IR instruments can be accommodated. The telescope mounting makes use of single, large inner race diameter preloaded turntable bearings in each axis and provides a rotary stage at the payload flange to cancel the diurnal rate image rotation associated with the Coude configuration. A detailed optical and mechanical design description of the telescope is provided, as well as photos of the instrument and its installation within the building. We are pleased to acknolwedge the generous support of Mr. Glenn Montgomery and Dr. Sarah Nelson in making this forward-looking installation possible. Keywords: Telescope, Mersenne, Coude, ADA, VIS/IR
For further information, email Prof. Stencel, rstencel@du.edu