Historical introduction | p. 1 |
Period 1608-1672 | p. 1 |
Period 1672-1840 | p. 11 |
William Herschel's telescopes | p. 15 |
Basic (Gaussian) optical theory of telescopes | p. 21 |
Basic function of a telescope | p. 21 |
The ideal optical system, geometrical optics and Gaussian optics | p. 23 |
The ideal optical system and Gaussian concept | p. 23 |
Geometrical optics and geometrical wavefronts | p. 26 |
The Gaussian optics approximation | p. 27 |
The conventional telescope with an ocular | p. 36 |
Basic forms of reflecting telescope | p. 40 |
The scale of astronomical telescopes and the magnification in afocal use of compound telescopes | p. 54 |
"Wide-field" telescopes and multi-element forms | p. 55 |
Aberration theory of telescopes | p. 57 |
Definition of the third order approximation | p. 57 |
Characteristic Function and Seidel (3rd order) aberrations: aberration theory of basic telescope forms | p. 59 |
The Characteristic Function of Hamilton | p. 59 |
The Seidel approximation: third order aberration coefficients | p. 63 |
Seidel coefficients of some basic reflecting telescope systems | p. 65 |
Analytical (third order) theory for 1-mirror and 2-mirror telescopes | p. 69 |
Higher order aberrations and system evaluation | p. 82 |
Analytical expressions for a 1-mirror telescope and various forms of 2-mirror telescopes (Classical, Ritchey-Chretien, Dall-Kirkham, Spherical Primary) | p. 88 |
Other forms of aplanatic 2-mirror telescopes (Schwarzschild, Couder) | p. 111 |
Scaling laws from normalized systems to real apertures and focal lengths | p. 126 |
Nature of third order aberrations and conversion formulae from wavefront aberration to other forms | p. 128 |
Spherical aberration (S[subscript I]) | p. 128 |
Coma (S[subscript II]) | p. 131 |
Astigmatism (S[subscript III]) and field curvature (S[subscript IV]) | p. 135 |
Distortion (S[subscript V]) | p. 138 |
Examples of conversions | p. 139 |
Conversions for Gaussian aberrations | p. 139 |
The theory of aspheric plates | p. 140 |
The role of refracting elements in modern telescopes: chromatic variations of first order and third order aberrations | p. 146 |
Wide-field telescopes | p. 148 |
The symmetrical stop position: the Bouwers telescope | p. 148 |
The Schmidt telescope | p. 151 |
The Maksutov telescope | p. 165 |
More complex variants of telescopes derived from the principles of the Schmidt, Bouwers and Maksutov systems | p. 174 |
Three- or multi-mirror telescopes (centered) | p. 223 |
Off-axis (Schiefspiegler) and decentered telescopes | p. 255 |
Two- and three-mirror Schiefspiegler | p. 255 |
The significance of Schiefspiegler theory in the centering of normal telescopes: formulae for the effects of decentering of 2-mirror telescopes | p. 261 |
Despace effects in 2-mirror telescopes | p. 279 |
Axial despace effects | p. 279 |
Transverse despace effects | p. 287 |
Zernike polynomials | p. 288 |
Diffraction theory and its relation to aberrations | p. 293 |
The Point Spread Function (PSF) due to diffraction at a rectangular aperture | p. 293 |
Coherence | p. 297 |
The Point Spread Function (PSF) due to diffraction at a circular aperture | p. 298 |
The Point Spread Function (PSF) due to diffraction at an annular aperture | p. 302 |
The diffraction PSF in the presence of small aberrations | p. 304 |
The diffraction PSF in the presence of small aberrations and an annular aperture | p. 310 |
The diffraction PSF in the presence of larger aberrations: the Optical Transfer Function (OTF) | p. 312 |
Diffraction effects at obstructions in the pupil other than axial central obstruction | p. 322 |
Field correctors and focal reducers or extenders | p. 325 |
Introduction | p. 325 |
Aspheric plate correctors | p. 327 |
Prime focus (PF) correctors using aspheric plates | p. 327 |
Cassegrain or Gregory focus correctors using aspheric plates | p. 340 |
Correctors using lenses | p. 348 |
Prime focus (PF) correctors using lenses | p. 348 |
Secondary focus correctors using lenses | p. 372 |
Atmospheric Dispersion Correctors (ADC) | p. 392 |
Focal reducers and extenders | p. 404 |
Simple reducers and extenders in front of the image | p. 404 |
Wide-field focal reducers (FR) as a substitute for a prime focus | p. 406 |
Other Cassegrain focal reducers | p. 414 |
Major telescopes from Lord Rosse to about 1980 | p. 419 |
Major telescopes in the speculum mirror epoch to 1865 | p. 419 |
Glass optics telescopes up to the Palomar 200-inch | p. 431 |
Reflectors after the 200-inch Palomar Telescope up to about 1980 | p. 449 |
Appendices | p. 465 |
List of mathematical symbols | p. 467 |
Portrait gallery | p. 487 |
References | p. 502 |
List of Figures | p. 513 |
List of Tables | p. 527 |
Name Index | p. 531 |
Subject Index | p. 536 |
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