Target Finding

The main method of finding targets is a modified version of the classical star hopping method. It is critical that all three telescopes are well aligned before proceeding. Lock onto a bright star, no fainter than about third magnitude, which has a similar declination or right ascension as the target star and therefore it is necessary to slew in only one direction. The 30mm guide telescope is used to acquire the bright starting star. The slew can be followed by observing in the 30mm.

General preparation would include several finder charts; a wide constellation field, the 30mm field, the 3" field and the of the 14" field. The charts were made using the Space Telescope Science Institute Guide Star Catalogue, and Tirion 2000. The 30mm has a field of view of 2.5 arcminutes, the 3" has a 40 arcsecond field of view; each camera's field of view is specified in Table 1. Once the target star has been found and centered in the 3", data acquisition can begin.