An Automatic Control System for a Stellar Interfometer,
Abstract
The automatic interferometer control system has 3 principal subsystems which also specify its performance: an automatic guiding subsystem which points the instrument, mounted on an azimuthal platform, toward any point in the sky which is given in equatorial coordinates; a coarse tracking subsystem; a photoelectric guiding subsystem. After the desired equatorial coordinates of the star (direct ascent and declination) and the proper stellar times are selected on the control panel, the guiding subsystem guides the interferometer tube toward the star at a velocity of 200 rev/24 hrs and with an accuracy of plus or minus 10 seconds of arc. Then the astronomer readjusts the pointing accuracy visually and by manual controls. After this the coarse tracking subsystem is switched in and the photoelectric guiding subsystem whose field of view is 2 sec. of arc, is also turned on. The stellar time variable is supplied continuously to the system and the tracking proceeds according to the motion of the earth. The guiding and coarse tracking subsystems use the same basic components with few additional signals being switched in and out for each operation. The tracking system (for both A and H axes) consists of an electronic amplifier, an amplidyne, driving motor, tachometer, reduction gear and angular error signal sources. An AGC system is used in azimuth tracking. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 23, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0661762
Entities
People
- P. V. Nikolaev
- Yu. A. Sabinin
Organizations
- National Air and Space Intelligence Center