Offset Guider - Introduction

The offset guider system is composed of several components. There is the offset guider itself which is a rotating head above the coffin that carries a fiber-optic bundle. The motion of the head is controlled by SAM, one of the Palomar MicroVAX computers, using a program called MIRELLA. The guider uses an R- type stage, but the guide head can be directed with X-Y coordinate offsets. The fiber-optic feeds light to a Xybion intensified TV camera which is controlled by one of the Quantex boxes in the control room. Finally, there is the Shepherd Autoguider (or f/70 Tip Tilt) which translates data from the TV and Quantex into tracking error correction signals for the telescope control system.

This chapter provides a basic reference to the offset guider system. For step-by-step setup and operation instructions, see the Setting Up the Offset Guider, Quantex Adjustment, and Using the IRA Offset Guider sections.