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Supports Direct Imaging and Spectroscophy
DFM Engineering has made many Guide-Acquire-Modules
(GAMs) for Cassegrain telescopes. Usually these GAMs
include a X-Y stage for off axis guiding. Recently,
there has been a demand for a different GAM that incorporates
off axis guiding from a remote location. DFM has defined
this next generation GAM and has trademarked the name
"Smart Auto Guider™" and "SAG™".
DFM Engineering, Inc. has delivered a version of the
Smart Auto Guider™ which can simultaneously support
direct imaging and support a Cassegrain Spectrograph.
Because of typical space restrictions and instrument
clearances, the spectrograph is mounted on the straight
through position of the Smart Auto Guider™ and
the direct CCD imaging camera is fed at a folded Cassegrain
position. The folding mirror is mounted on a translating
stage so it may be moved out of the light path for the
spectrograph.
Automatic guiding is provided by an integrating CCD
camera that automatically searches for a suitable guide
star and then begins auto guiding. The guide CCD camera
focus automatically follows the telescope focus.
The Smart Auto Guider™ supports a filter slide
mechanism at the imaging port. Interchangeable filter
slides are available that can support different sized
filters including a 8-position slide for 50-mm diameter
round filters, a 8-position slide for 2-inch diameter
filters, a 8-position slide for 2-inch square filters,
and a 6-position slide for 2.5-inch square filters.
These slides may be easily manually interchanged.
The Smart Auto Guider™ also supports auto guiding
off of the slit jaws of the spectrograph and provides
a calibration lamp optical feed for the spectrograph.
Commands for the Smart Auto Guider™ are included
in the DFM Engineering, Inc. EXternal COMputer (EXCOM)
interface so the SAG™ may be commanded from the
observatory control computer.
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