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  • © 2010

Geometric Optics

Theory and Design of Astronomical Optical Systems Using Mathematica®

Birkhäuser

Authors:

  • Presentation of the third-order design of cameras and telescopes with the aid of Mathematica eliminates the need for tedious computer calculations
  • Mathematica notebooks accompanying each optical combination analyzed in the book are available for download at http://extra.springer.com/978-0-8176-4871-8
  • Discussion and analysis of specific optical devices: Newtonian and Cassegrain telescopes; Schmidt, Wright, Houghton, and Maksutov cameras; and other optical combinations, such as the Klevtsov telescope and the Baker–Schmidt flat-field camera
  • For a broad audience of graduate students, researchers, and practitioners in applied mathematics, engineering, astronomy, and astronomical optics
  • Many worked-out examples and exercises; may be used as a text for a graduate-level course in astronomical optics, optical design, optical engineering, programming with Mathematica, or geometric optics
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
  2. Gaussian Optics

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 25-47
  3. Newtonian and Cassegrain Telescopes

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 91-100
  4. Cameras for Astronomy

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 101-125
  5. Compound Cassegrain Telescopes

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 127-144
  6. Doublets and Triplets

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 145-155
  7. Other Optical Combinations

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 157-170
  8. Fermat’s Principle and Wavefronts

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 171-190
  9. Hamiltonian Optics

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 191-200
  10. Monochromatic Third-Order Aberrations

    • Antonio Romano
    Pages 201-217
  11. Back Matter

    Pages 1-5

About this book

This book—unique in the literature—provides readers with the mathematical background needed to design many of the optical combinations that are used in astronomical telescopes and cameras. The results presented in the work were obtained by using a different approach to third-order aberration theory as well as the extensive use of the software package Mathematica®.

The newly presented approach to third-order aberration theory adopted is based on Fermat’s principle and the use of particular optical paths—not rays—termed stigmatic paths, allowing for easy derivation of third-order formulae. This approach enables readers to understand and handle the formulae required to design optical combinations without resorting to the much more complex Hamiltonian formalism and Seidel's relations.

Additional features and topics:

* Presentation of the third-order design of cameras and telescopes with the aid of Mathematica eliminates the need for tedious computer calculations

* Mathematica notebooks accompanying each optical combination analyzed in the book are available for download at http://extra.springer.com/978-0-8176-4871-8

* Discussion and analysis of specific optical devices: Newtonian and Cassegrain telescopes; Schmidt, Wright, Houghton, and Maksutov cameras; and other optical combinations, such as the Klevtsov telescope and the Baker–Schmidt flat-field camera

* Additional supplementary material available at the publisher's website

* Many worked-out examples and exercises

Geometric Optics is an excellent reference for advanced graduate students, researchers, and practitioners in applied mathematics, engineering, astronomy, and astronomical optics. The work may be used as a supplementary textbook for graduate-level courses in astronomical optics, optical design, optical engineering, programming with Mathematica, or geometricoptics.

Authors and Affiliations

  • e Applicazioni “R. Caccioppoli”, Università degli Studi di Napoli, Dipartimento di Matematica, Napoli, Italy

    Antonio Romano

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access