User:Ana/telescopes

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m (Basic geometry)
m (Basic geometry)
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== Basic geometry ==
== Basic geometry ==
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Plate scale of a telescope is 1 radian in the sky (measured in arcsec) "seen" in the focal plane of the telescope (measured in millimeters) and is inverse proportional to the focal length of the telescope. Focal length of the telescope is equal to the product of the F-number (F#) and the diameter of the telescope's primary mirror D[mm].
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Plate scale of a telescope is 1 radian in the sky (measured in arcsec) "seen" in the focal plane of the telescope at the focal length (measured in millimeters). Focal length of the telescope is equal to the product of the F-number (F#) and the diameter of the telescope's primary mirror D[mm].
   plate_scale = 1 radian [arcsec] / f[mm] = 1/(F#*D[mm]) = 206265 ["] / f [m] * 10^(-3)
   plate_scale = 1 radian [arcsec] / f[mm] = 1/(F#*D[mm]) = 206265 ["] / f [m] * 10^(-3)

Revision as of 13:25, 1 July 2019

Basic geometry

Plate scale of a telescope is 1 radian in the sky (measured in arcsec) "seen" in the focal plane of the telescope at the focal length (measured in millimeters). Focal length of the telescope is equal to the product of the F-number (F#) and the diameter of the telescope's primary mirror D[mm].

 plate_scale = 1 radian [arcsec] / f[mm] = 1/(F#*D[mm]) = 206265 ["] / f [m] * 10^(-3)

e.g. Milanković telescope has a focal length of 11.2 m, aperture of 1.4 m and F#=8: plate_scale = 206265 / 11200 = 18.42 ["/mm].

Pixel scale is the size of the pixel 'in the sky':

 pixel_scale = plate_scale ["/mm] * pixel_size [mm/pix]

e.g. CCD camera U42 used with the telescope has 2048 x 2048 pixels of 13.5 μm each. So, 1 pixel = 13.5 * 10^(-3) mm, i.e. 1 mm = 1/13.5 * 10^3 1/pix: pixel_scale = 18.42 ["] * 13.5 * 10^(-3) = 0.249 "/pix.

 FOV = (#pixels x pixel_scale) x (#pixels x pixel_scale) = (2048 x 0".249) x (2048 x 0".249) = 509".3 x 509".3 = 8'.5 x 8'.5
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