Category Archives: Astroengineering

Infrared Camera Design

Posted on June 4, 2019 by Nick Konidaris

Cryogenic (SWIR; 0.7 – 2.5 µm) infrared cameras are specialized. For astronomical purposes thermal radiation from a room-temperature lens would swamp the signal beyond 1.5 µm. To deal with this signal such cameras at low temperatures (say 120 Kelvin). The … Continue reading →

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Spectrograph 0th-Order Calculations

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Nick Konidaris

I’m trying to make a tool that allows the user to compute anything they ever wanted to know about spectrographs. It’s here: DESIGN YOUR OWN SPECTROGRAPH: http://nickkonidaris.github.io/SpectrographCalculator/ The default parameters are for DBSP on the Hale 200-inch telescope. The parameters … Continue reading →

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Classical and β Anamorphism in Spectrographs

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Nick Konidaris

The anamorphic factor is something that must be understood and manipulated in spectrographs operating off Littrow. I describe the anamorphic factor through a series of videos. Continue reading →

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Chimera 2 first light

Posted on July 20, 2014 by Nick Konidaris

Chimera 2, a new high-speed and wide-field imager for Palomar achieved first light! Gregg Hallinan is the PI, I’m proud to have performed the lens-design for this instrument, all optics are off-the-shelf, so the real challenge was the imaginative way … Continue reading →

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Canon f/2.0 200-mm ZEMAX model

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Nick Konidaris

Based on Japanese Patent J2001, 253050, A, I constructed an approximate optical model for the Canon EF f/2.0L 200-mm lens. I can’t know for sure if this model matches the constructed hardware, but the model is a good starting point. … Continue reading →

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MOSFIRE Data Reduction Pipeline

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Nick Konidaris

A new MOSFIRE data reduction pipeline has been released. See the release notes.

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SED Machine Assembled Camera

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Nick Konidaris

The SED Machine camera (120-mm f/5.5) operates over a pretty broad wavelength range (360 nm — 1000 nm) and delivers absolutely beautiful images. It’s a Petzval-like lens with an external (real) pupil about one camera focal length in front. The … Continue reading →

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Potting of SED Machine Optics

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Nick Konidaris

The SED Machine optics were potted back in October of 2013. These

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