Astronomical Optics, 2nd Edition

Astronomical Optics, 2nd Edition

by Daniel J. Schroeder
Released September 1999
Publisher(s): Academic Press
ISBN: 9780126298109

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Book description

This book provides a unified treatment of the characteristics of telescopes of all types, both those whose performance is set by geometrical aberrations and the effect of the atmosphere, and those diffraction-limited telescopes designed for observations from above the atmosphere. The emphasis throughout is on basic principles, such as Fermat's principle, and their application to optical systems specifically designed to image distant celestial sources.
The book also contains thorough discussions of the principles underlying all spectroscopic instrumentation, with special emphasis on grating instruments used with telescopes. An introduction to adaptive optics provides the needed background for further inquiry into this rapidly developing area.



* Geometrical aberration theory based on Fermat's principle
* Diffraction theory and transfer function approach to near-perfect telescopes
* Thorough discussion of 2-mirror telescopes, including misalignments
* Basic principles of spectrometry; grating and echelle instruments
* Schmidt and other catadioptric telescopes
* Principles of adaptive optics
* Over 220 figures and nearly 90 summary tables

Table of contents

  1. Front Cover
  2. Astronomical Optics
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents (1/2)
  5. Contents (2/2)
  6. Preface
  7. Chapter 1. Introduction
    1. 1.1. A Bit of History
    2. 1.2. Approach to Subject
    3. 1.3. Outline of Book
  8. Chapter 2. Preliminaries: Definitions and Paraxial Optics
    1. 2.1. Sign Conventions
    2. 2.2. Paraxial Equation for Refraction
    3. 2.3. Paraxial Equation for Reflection
    4. 2.4. Two-Surface Refracting Elements
    5. 2.5. Two-Mirror Telescopes
    6. 2.6. Stops and Pupils
    7. 2.7. Concluding Remarks
    8. Bibliography
  9. Chapter 3. Fermat's Principle: An Introduction
    1. 3.1. Fermat's Principle in General
    2. 3.2. Fermat's Principle and Refracting Surfaces
    3. 3.3. Wave Interpretation of Fermat's Principle
    4. 3.4. Fermat's Principle and Reflecting Surfaces
    5. 3.5. Conic Sections
    6. 3.6. Fermat's Principle and the Atmosphere
    7. 3.7. Concluding Remarks
    8. References
    9. Bibliography
  10. Chapter 4. Introduction to Aberrations
    1. 4.1. Reflecting Conics and Focal Length
    2. 4.2. Spherical Aberration (1/2)
    3. 4.2. Spherical Aberration (2/2)
    4. 4.3. Reflecting Conics and Finite Object Distance
    5. 4.4. Off-Axis Aberrations
    6. 4.5. Aberration Compensation (1/2)
    7. 4.5. Aberration Compensation (2/2)
    8. References
    9. Bibliography
  11. Chapter 5. Fermat's Principle and Aberrations
    1. 5.1. Application to Surface of Revolution
    2. 5.2. Evaluation of Aberration Coefficients
    3. 5.3. Ray and Wavefront Aberrations (1/2)
    4. 5.3. Ray and Wavefront Aberrations (2/2)
    5. 5.4. Summary of Aberration Results, Stop at Surface
    6. 5.5. Aberrations for Displaced Stop
    7. 5.6. Aberrations for Multisurface Systems
    8. 5.7. Curvature of Field (1/2)
    9. 5.7. Curvature of Field (2/2)
    10. 5.8. Aberrations for Decentered Pupil (1/2)
    11. 5.8. Aberrations for Decentered Pupil (2/2)
    12. 5.9. Concluding Remarks
    13. Appendix A: Comparison with Seidel Theory
    14. References
    15. Bibliography
  12. Chapter 6. Reflecting Telescopes
    1. 6.1. Paraboloid
    2. 6.2. Two-Mirror Telescopes (1/4)
    3. 6.2. Two-Mirror Telescopes (2/4)
    4. 6.2. Two-Mirror Telescopes (3/4)
    5. 6.2. Two-Mirror Telescopes (4/4)
    6. 6.3. Alignment Errors in Two-Mirror Telescopes (1/3)
    7. 6.3. Alignment Errors in Two-Mirror Telescopes (2/3)
    8. 6.3. Alignment Errors in Two-Mirror Telescopes (3/3)
    9. 6.4. Three-Mirror Telescopes (1/2)
    10. 6.4. Three-Mirror Telescopes (2/2)
    11. 6.5. Four-Mirror Telescopes (1/2)
    12. 6.5. Four-Mirror Telescopes (2/2)
    13. 6.6. Concluding Remarks
    14. References
    15. Bibliography
  13. Chapter 7. Schmidt Telescopes and Cameras
    1. 7.1. General Schmidt Configuration
    2. 7.2. Characteristics of Aspheric Plate (1/2)
    3. 7.2. Characteristics of Aspheric Plate (2/2)
    4. 7.3. Schmidt Telescope Example
    5. 7.4. Achromatic Schmidt Telescope
    6. 7.5. Solid- and Semisolid-Schmidt Cameras
    7. References
    8. Bibliography
  14. Chapter 8. Catadioptric Telescopes and Cameras
    1. 8.1. Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes
    2. 8.2. Cameras with Meniscus Correctors (1/2)
    3. 8.2. Cameras with Meniscus Correctors (2/2)
    4. 8.3. All-Reflecting Wide-Field Systems
    5. References
  15. Chapter 9. Auxiliary Optics for Telescopes
    1. 9.1. Field Lenses, Flatteners
    2. 9.2. Prime Focus Correctors (1/2)
    3. 9.2. Prime Focus Correctors (2/2)
    4. 9.3. Cassegrain Focus Correctors
    5. 9.4. Cassegrain Focal Reducers
    6. 9.5. Atmospheric Dispersion Correctors (1/3)
    7. 9.5. Atmospheric Dispersion Correctors (2/3)
    8. 9.5. Atmospheric Dispersion Correctors (3/3)
    9. 9.6. Fiber Optics
    10. References
    11. Bibliography
  16. Chapter 10. Diffraction Theory and Aberrations
    1. 10.1. Huygens-Fresnel Principle
    2. 10.2. Perfect Image: Circular Aperture (1/3)
    3. 10.2. Perfect Image: Circular Aperture (2/3)
    4. 10.2. Perfect Image: Circular Aperture (3/3)
    5. 10.3. The Near Perfect Image (1/3)
    6. 10.3. The Near Perfect Image (2/3)
    7. 10.3. The Near Perfect Image (3/3)
    8. 10.4. Comparison: Geometric Aberrations and the Diffraction Limit
    9. 10.5. Diffraction Integrals and Fourier Theory
    10. References
    11. Bibliography
  17. Chapter 11. Transfer Functions; Hubble Space Telescope
    1. 11.1. Transfer Functions and Image Characteristics
    2. 11.2. Hubble Space Telescope, Prelaunch Expectations (1/2)
    3. 11.2. Hubble Space Telescope, Prelaunch Expectations (2/2)
    4. 11.3. Hubble Space Telescope, Postlaunch Reality
    5. 11.4. Concluding Remarks
    6. References
    7. Bibliography
  18. Chapter 12. Spectrometry: Definitions and Basic Principles
    1. 12.1. Introduction and Definitions
    2. 12.2. Slit Spectrometers (1/2)
    3. 12.2. Slit Spectrometers (2/2)
    4. 12.3. Fiber-Fed Spectrometers
    5. 12.4. Slitless Spectrometers
    6. 12.5. Spectrometers in Diffraction Limit
    7. References
    8. Bibliography
  19. Chapter 13. Dispersing Elements and Systems
    1. 13.1. Dispersing Prism
    2. 13.2. Diffraction Grating; Basic Relations
    3. 13.3. Echelles
    4. 13.4. Grating Efficiency (1/3)
    5. 13.4. Grating Efficiency (2/3)
    6. 13.4. Grating Efficiency (3/3)
    7. 13.5. Fabry-Perot Interferometer
    8. 13.6. Fourier Transform Spectrometer
    9. 13.7. Concluding Remarks
    10. References
    11. Bibliography
  20. Chapter 14. Grating Aberrations; Concave Grating Spectrometers
    1. 14.1. Application of Fermat's Principle to Grating Surface
    2. 14.2. Grating Aberrations
    3. 14.3. Concave Grating Mountings
    4. References
    5. Bibliography
  21. Chapter 15. Plane Grating Spectrometers
    1. 15.1. All-Reflecting Spectrometers (1/2)
    2. 15.1. All-Reflecting Spectrometers (2/2)
    3. 15.2. Pixel Matching
    4. 15.3. Fast Spectrometers
    5. 15.4. Fiber-Fed Spectrometers
    6. 15.5. Echelle Spectrometers (1/3)
    7. 15.5. Echelle Spectrometers (2/3)
    8. 15.5. Echelle Spectrometers (3/3)
    9. 15.6. Nonobjective Slitless Spectrometers (1/3)
    10. 15.6. Nonobjective Slitless Spectrometers (2/3)
    11. 15.6. Nonobjective Slitless Spectrometers (3/3)
    12. 15.7. Concluding Remarks
    13. References
    14. Bibliography
  22. Chapter 16. Adaptive Optics: An Introduction
    1. 16.1. Effects of Atmospheric Turbulence
    2. 16.2. Correction of Wavefront Distortion (1/2)
    3. 16.2. Correction of Wavefront Distortion (2/2)
    4. 16.3. Adaptive Optics: Systems and Components
    5. 16.4. Concluding Remarks
    6. References
    7. Bibliography
  23. Chapter 17. Detectors, Signal-to-Noise, and Detection Limits
    1. 17.1. Detector Characteristics (1/2)
    2. 17.1. Detector Characteristics (2/2)
    3. 17.2. Signal-to-Noise Ratio
    4. 17.3. Detection Limits and Signal-to-Noise Ratio
    5. 17.4. Detection Limits: Stellar Photometry
    6. 17.5. Detection Limits: Spectroscopy
    7. References
    8. Bibliography
  24. Chapter 18. Large Mirrors and Telescope Arrays
    1. 18.1. Large Mirrors
    2. 18.2. Telescope Arrays; Interferometers (1/2)
    3. 18.2. Telescope Arrays; Interferometers (2/2)
    4. References
    5. Bibliography
  25. Table of Symbols (1/2)
  26. Table of Symbols (2/2)
  27. Index (1/3)
  28. Index (2/3)
  29. Index (3/3)

Product information

  • Title: Astronomical Optics, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Daniel J. Schroeder
  • Release date: September 1999
  • Publisher(s): Academic Press
  • ISBN: 9780126298109