Publications Details

Lens and Camera Arrays for Sky Surveys and Space Surveillance

Ackermann, Mark R.; Cox, David D.; Mcgraw, John; Zimmer, Peter

In recent years, a number of sky survey projects have chosen to use arrays of commercia l cameras coupled with commercial photographic lenses to enable low-cost, wide-area observation. Projects such as SuperWASP, FAVOR, Raptor, Lotis, PANOPTES, and Dragonfly rely on multiple cameras with commercial lenses to image wide areas of the sky each night. The sensors are usually commercial astronomical change coupled devices (CCD) or digital single reflex (DSLR) cameras, while the lenses are large-aperture, high-end consumer items intended for general photography. While much of this equipment is very capable and relatively inexpensive, this approach comes with a number of significant limitations that reduce sensitivity and overall utility of the image data. The most frequently encountered limitations include lens vignetting, narrow spectral bandpass, and relatively large point spread function. Understanding these limits helps to assess the utility of the data, and identify areas where advanced optical designs could significantly improve survey performance.