An IR RC scope built by Honeywell

[pmrid]

This caught my eye. It seems to be a purpose-built IR optimised scope in some sort of offset RC design. The wonders of eBay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ritchey-Chretien-IR-Telescope-21023479-Base-/390271725922?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC .CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid %3D5372778126286507113%26pid%3D1000 33%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D3%26sd%3D130 845552506%26

Peter

[gregbradley]

Look at how thick the steel casing is. That must weigh a ton.

I wonder what it was used for? It looks military in nature.

Greg.

[pmrid]

Yes it does. And you'll have seen that the secondary is not positioned in the usual way - it is offset - and the primary seems to be odd-shaped as well. And there does not seem to be any visible focusing mechanism. The label says it is an IR scope - and one assumes that means infra-red but could mean anything really. I haven't been able to find anything more about it - which is what it is probably military in origin.

But it struck me that in a money-no-object world, it might be fun to play with in trying to image very distant red-shifted galaxies and the like.

Peter

[Wavytone]

Yup... probably the optics for a thermal-imaging camera.

It's a two mirror schiefspiegler, essentially one side of a larger cassegrain cut in half. Anton Kutter came up with a design for tilted two-mirror scopes based on this which minimises the aberrations across the field of view.

This one clearly isn't to Kutters design, which suggestions the aberrations are well outside diffraction limited. It may well get away with that in the infra-red (longer wavelength) and perhaps the intended application didn't demand perfect imaging - the shape of that aperture will have some ugly diffraction spikes !

So visually don't expect much.

Both mirrors will be figured strongly off-axis so not really re-useable unless you're prepared to regrind and polish...

An interesting doorstop, though.

[pmrid]

Ahhh. There speaks the sobering voice of the realist.

P

[RobF]

Would be interesting to know what the heck it was used for though?
Giant night targetting/sighting scope perhaps? :question:

[Stardrifter_WA]

It looks to be testing equipment, given that it clearly has a bolted down base.

[Wavytone]

More likely bolted to something that makes a very big bang... And on a shock mount.

[RobF]

Probably too heavy for aviation/space.
Naval?

[pmrid]

Honeywell were (perhaps still are) well into thermal imaging and I think they designed and built several imaging systems or components of systems in some of the orbiting telescopes. Be interesting to see which ones. I have been reading that " Universe in a Mirror" book about the checkered history of Hubble and I'm sure Honeywell get several mentions. I'll have another look.
I notice this one has a Serial number 0001. Prototype perhaps. We'll never know unless someone has a lazy US$3000 or so to have a play.

Peter

[wasyoungonce]

Yeah doesn't look like aerial stuff.....In my past life I repaired and was in charge of repair of aerial cameras, some IR Laser and FLIR & FLIR LTDR gear ...and I ain't seen nothing like that!

It's a mother! Mind you some aerial camera can get pretty big...but they don't have casings like that. Funny enough....looks to have a pass thru port...maybe LTDR? (Laser Target Designator).