TECH FOCUS: OPTICS IN ASTRONOMY
Journey into space
We shine a light on the latest commercial offerings in optical mirrors, lenses and other optical components for astronomy applications
O
ptics are used for the design, construction, and use of telescopes and other optical
instruments for studying stars, planets, galaxies, and other astronomical phenomena. The reason optics play such a crucial role in astronomy is because they allow astronomers to collect and analyse light from distant objects in the universe. Optical telescopes use lenses and mirrors to focus and gather light, enabling astronomers to study objects that are too far away – or too faint – to be seen with the human eye alone. As well as telescopes
other space-qualified optical instruments used in astronomy include spectrographs, which break down light into its component wavelengths, and photometers, which measure the brightness of celestial objects.
Optical instruments for
astronomy use a variety of optical components to collect, focus, and magnify light from celestial objects. The primary optical component of a telescope is either an objective lens or a primary mirror, which collects and focuses light onto the secondary mirror or directly onto the focal plane. The secondary mirror reflects the light from the primary mirror to the focal plane or to an eyepiece, which is a lens or
40 Electro Optics February 2024
set of lenses that magnifies the image formed by the primary optical component and allows the observer to see the image. A Barlow lens is a type of
lens that increases the effective focal length of the primary optical component, thereby increasing magnification, while a diagonal mirror is a flat mirror that reflects light at a 90-degree angle, allowing the observer to view objects in a more comfortable position. Optical filters are used to selectively block or transmit certain wavelengths of light, allowing astronomers to study specific features or characteristics of celestial objects. Corrector plates are used to correct for spherical aberration and other optical distortions that can occur in refracting telescopes.
Commercial products Vendors of optical components and equipment for astronomy include Alluxa, which offers ultra-narrow optical filters for a number of markets including astronomy. Most recently the company developed two Hydrogen Alpha (H-alpha) emission line filters specifically for astronomy. Astro Hutech provides
astronomical equipment and accessories for visual astronomy and astrophotography. Products include filters for
astrophotography under the IDAS brand, including narrowband filters and light pollution filters, as well as eyepieces, mounts and imaging accessories. Astronomik is a
manufacturer of astronomical filters. The company’s range includes narrowband filters for astrophotography, light pollution filters, and UV/IR cut filters.
Baader Planetarium
produces a wide range of filters for telescopes, including narrowband filters, broadband filters, and speciality filters such as solar filters. Edmund Optics is a well-
known supplier of optical components, including optical lenses and mirrors for telescopes. The company offers a wide range of mirrors, including concave, convex, and flat mirrors, as well as specialised mirrors for specific
applications. Lenses include achromatic, aspherical lenses, cylindrical lenses, and more. Laser Components offers
different optical filter designs, including beam splitters and bandpass, band-stop, short- pass and long-pass filters, with wavelength ranges from the UV to the FIR. It can custom-make astronomical filters to provide high imaging quality using space-qualified materials. A range of off- the shelf products is also available, including bessell photometric variations and SDSS photometric sets. Materion offers bespoke
filter designs for applications such as space, science and astronomy. The company has expertise in designing and manufacturing precision thin film coatings and optical filters for use in these applications. Its products have been used in projects
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