An Image Intensification and Video Recording System for Astronomical Observations

Marvin M. Hoffman; Mort Sanders; Donald H. Liebenberg

doi:10.1117/12.7971770

1 February 1975 An Image Intensification and Video Recording System for Astronomical Observations

Marvin M. Hoffman, Mort Sanders, Donald H. Liebenberg

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 14, Issue 1, 140176 (February 1975). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.7971770

Abstract

An airborne telescope utilizing a scanning interferometer and video recording system has been used by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory for coronal-emission-line-profile measurements during the total solar eclipses of 1972 and 1973. A 250 mm diameter f/8.0 achromatic doublet refractor served as the objective lens, and a pressure scanned Fabry-Perot interferometer with narrow band transmission filters provided 0.005 nm spectral resolution of the selected emis-sion lines. A variable-gain channel-plate image intensifier, fiber-optically coupled to an Sb2 S3 vidicon tube, was adapted for use as a high sensitivity image detector. At maximum sensitivity this system was capable of recording a video image with signals as small as 5 x 10-9 J/m2 incident upon the in-tensifier photocathode. The vidicon tube was scanned at a rate of 60 fields per second in a 500-line, non-interlaced television format. The composite video signals were recorded on standard video tapes from which they were digitized for subsequent computer processing.

Citation Download Citation

Marvin M. Hoffman, Mort Sanders, and Donald H. Liebenberg "An Image Intensification and Video Recording System for Astronomical Observations," Optical Engineering 14(1), 140176 (1 February 1975). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.7971770

Published: 1 February 1975

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available