DESIGN AND OPERATION OF AN INFRARED SPATIAL INTERFEROMETER.

D. W. McCarthy; F. J. Low; R. Howell

doi:10.1117/12.7972163

DESIGN AND OPERATION OF AN INFRARED SPATIAL INTERFEROMETER.

D. W. McCarthy, F. J. Low, R. Howell

Steward Observatory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

An infrared spatial interferometer has been developed to extend the spatial resolution of astronomical observations beyond the diffraction limits of existing telescopes. It is capable of measuring the angular diameters and shapes of circumstellar shells at wavelengths from 2 to 20 mu m. As a results, the angular resolution of routine telescopic observations at 1. 0 mu m has been extended from about 1 arcsec to about 0. 1 arcsec. The interferometer operates at the Cassegrain focus of conventional telescopes. It measures fringe visibilities at different separations and position angles of two circular beams projected onto opposite sides of the telescope's primary mirror. The circumstellar shells of several infrared stars have been resolved includinbg alpha Orionis, VY Canis Majoris, IRC plus 10216, IRC plus 10420, and NML Cygnus.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	569-574
Number of pages	6
Journal	Optical Engineering
Volume	16
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.7972163
State	Published - 1977

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
General Engineering

Access to Document

10.1117/12.7972163

Cite this

@article{d623613666eb4323b5550d88584790b4,

title = "DESIGN AND OPERATION OF AN INFRARED SPATIAL INTERFEROMETER.",

abstract = "An infrared spatial interferometer has been developed to extend the spatial resolution of astronomical observations beyond the diffraction limits of existing telescopes. It is capable of measuring the angular diameters and shapes of circumstellar shells at wavelengths from 2 to 20 mu m. As a results, the angular resolution of routine telescopic observations at 1. 0 mu m has been extended from about 1 arcsec to about 0. 1 arcsec. The interferometer operates at the Cassegrain focus of conventional telescopes. It measures fringe visibilities at different separations and position angles of two circular beams projected onto opposite sides of the telescope's primary mirror. The circumstellar shells of several infrared stars have been resolved includinbg alpha Orionis, VY Canis Majoris, IRC plus 10216, IRC plus 10420, and NML Cygnus.",

author = "McCarthy, \{D. W.\} and Low, \{F. J.\} and R. Howell",

year = "1977",

doi = "10.1117/12.7972163",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "16",

pages = "569--574",

journal = "Optical Engineering",

issn = "0091-3286",

publisher = "SPIE",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - DESIGN AND OPERATION OF AN INFRARED SPATIAL INTERFEROMETER.

AU - McCarthy, D. W.

AU - Low, F. J.

AU - Howell, R.

PY - 1977

Y1 - 1977

N2 - An infrared spatial interferometer has been developed to extend the spatial resolution of astronomical observations beyond the diffraction limits of existing telescopes. It is capable of measuring the angular diameters and shapes of circumstellar shells at wavelengths from 2 to 20 mu m. As a results, the angular resolution of routine telescopic observations at 1. 0 mu m has been extended from about 1 arcsec to about 0. 1 arcsec. The interferometer operates at the Cassegrain focus of conventional telescopes. It measures fringe visibilities at different separations and position angles of two circular beams projected onto opposite sides of the telescope's primary mirror. The circumstellar shells of several infrared stars have been resolved includinbg alpha Orionis, VY Canis Majoris, IRC plus 10216, IRC plus 10420, and NML Cygnus.

AB - An infrared spatial interferometer has been developed to extend the spatial resolution of astronomical observations beyond the diffraction limits of existing telescopes. It is capable of measuring the angular diameters and shapes of circumstellar shells at wavelengths from 2 to 20 mu m. As a results, the angular resolution of routine telescopic observations at 1. 0 mu m has been extended from about 1 arcsec to about 0. 1 arcsec. The interferometer operates at the Cassegrain focus of conventional telescopes. It measures fringe visibilities at different separations and position angles of two circular beams projected onto opposite sides of the telescope's primary mirror. The circumstellar shells of several infrared stars have been resolved includinbg alpha Orionis, VY Canis Majoris, IRC plus 10216, IRC plus 10420, and NML Cygnus.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0017552045

UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0017552045&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1117/12.7972163

DO - 10.1117/12.7972163

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0017552045

SN - 0091-3286

VL - 16

SP - 569

EP - 574

JO - Optical Engineering

JF - Optical Engineering

IS - 6

ER -

DESIGN AND OPERATION OF AN INFRARED SPATIAL INTERFEROMETER.

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this