The Santa Barbara Instrument Group self-guided spectrograph is aimed primarily at the advanced amateur astronomer. This study has determined that this instrument is capable of being used for scientific research. A comparison lamp box was built to be used in conjunction with the spectrograph. A test was conducted to determine the accuracy of the grating positioning micrometer. A chart was created to allow the conversion of the micrometer readings to correlate with the position of the low-dispersion grating. To determine the scientific applicability of the spectrograph, it was used to: (1) measure the expansion rate of Nova Sagittarius 2004, (2) look for a 13.9-minute periodicity in the width and position of the H-alpha line of the binary star system X Persei, and (3) to measure the Doppler shift of X Persei. The instrument proved to be capable of being used to determine radial velocities and Doppler shifts. / Department of Physics and Astronomy

The work reported in this thesis describes the development of the CCD instrumentation for the Faint Object Spectrograph on the 2.5m Isaac Newton Telescope at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos, more commonly known as the La Palma Observatory. The Faint Object Spectrograph is a highly efficient, fixed-format CCD spectrograph aimed at low resolution spectrophotometry (15-20 A FWHM) over a wide spectral range (400-1050 nm). Its high throughput, compared with that of more conventional spectrographs, is due to the small number of optical surfaces, and the minimum vignetting which results from, locating the CCD inside the spectrograph camera. A CCD camera system is described which was developed primarily to test and commission the Faint Object Spectrograph, but also to assess the characteristics of the GEC P8603 CCD used In the spectrograph, and optimize its performance for this application. The use of CCDs in astronomy is now commonplace but there still remains some uncertainty as to which aspects of their performance need to be most critically assessed when choosing a device for a particular application. It is argued that it is important to consider not only the obvious characteristics such as quantum efficiency, spectral coverage, readout noise and geometrical format, but also, and particularly at astronomically relevant low-light levels, the consequences of the more subtle properties such as charge transfer efficiency, threshold effects and chip defects. The CCD detector in the Faint Object Spectrograph is located inside the spectrograph camera and needs to be positioned to high accuracy within the optical path. A microprocessor system is described which enables the CCD detector to be aligned remotely from the observer's control console. Finally, the commissioning of the Faint Object Spectrograph on the Isaac Newton Telescope is described, and some of the first results obtained during commissioning are presented in order to illustrate its potential in the field of faint object spectroscopy.

Published articles have been removed from the Appendices of the electronic copy of this thesis due to third party copyright restrictions. The complete version can be consulted at the University of Leicester Library.

Large aperture astronomical telescopes have a resolution that is limited by the effects of the Earth's atmosphere. The atmosphere causes incoming wavefronts to become aberrated, to correct for this adaptive optics is employed. This technique attempts to measure the incident wavefront and correct it, restoring the original image. Conventional techniques use mirrors that are deformed with piezo-electric crystals, this thesis uses an alternative technique. Two different types of liquid crystal spatial light modulators are used as the corrective elements. The advantages and disadvantages of both are assessed in an attempt to find which system is the best for astronomical adaptive optics.

No description available.

201 leaves : ill., tables, graphs ; 31 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Mawson Institute for Antarctic Research, 1977

Thesis (Ph. D.)--McMaster University, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 247-252). Also available via World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Mawson Institute for Antarctic Research, 1977.

Inaug.-diss.--Basel. / Curriculum vitae. "Verzeichnis der bentitzten litteratur": p. [71].

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2004. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-124).