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Full-Text Articles in Instrumentation
Telescope Parallel Actuator Mount: Control And Testing, Samuel S. Artho-Bentz
Telescope Parallel Actuator Mount: Control And Testing, Samuel S. Artho-Bentz
Master's Theses
This thesis approaches the task of designing a control system for the Parallel Actuator Mount developed by Dr. John Ridgely and Mr. Garrett Gudgel. It aims to create a base framework that directly controls the telescope and can be expanded to accept external command. It incorporates lower priced components and develops more easily approachable software with great functionality. An open-loop method for velocity control is established. Developing repeatable tests is a major focus. Testing finds the control methods developed result in velocity error of less than 5% and position error of less than 1.5% despite several mechanical issues and inaccuracies. …
A Rotating Aperture Mask For Small Telescopes, Edward L. Foley
A Rotating Aperture Mask For Small Telescopes, Edward L. Foley
Master's Theses
Observing the dynamic interaction between stars and their close stellar neighbors is key to establishing the stars’ orbits, masses, and other properties. Our ability to visually discriminate nearby stars is limited by the power of our telescopes, posing a challenge to astronomers at small observatories that contribute to binary star surveys. Masks placed at the telescope aperture promise to augment the resolving power of telescopes of all sizes, but many of these masks must be manually and repetitively reoriented about the optical axis to achieve their full benefits. This paper introduces a design concept for a mask rotation mechanism that …