[Bassnut (Fred)]

Insane fiber optic machine on the AAO at Siding spring.
This is just nuts, Spectography on 400 odd objects at the same time, an Ozzy invention.
This CNC machine (mounted right on the back of the imaging plate) auto places 400 odd mini magnetic block fiber optic lenses (to 10 micron accuraccy) where stars/galaxys are from a sky map on a metal plate , the fibers go 30 odd meters to a room with 400 diffraction screens, each in a straight line split onto 3 different cameras to image 400 objects at once at multiple frequencies. When the machine is finished placeing, the plate is flipped 180deg to the focal point and imaging starts. At the same time, another plate on the back is worked on by the CNC machine ready for the next image. Engineering wise, this is just draw dropping, insane to watch in action. I went to the Siding spring open day on the weekend, where this was all on display.