Description

Optec has developed the NGC 316 corrector, the first in our series of 3" telecompressors. We designed this corrector specifically for the classic Meade 16" Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope. With custom designed, well-corrected optics compensating for the inherent aberrations in the original large SCT design, this new four-element system can provide ACF-like performance at a fraction of the cost. With plenty of back-focus for filter wheels, off-axis guiders or deep chip cameras, the NGC 316 can fully illuminate CCD cameras having chips up to 35mm diagonal and beyond. A typical f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope becomes an f/7.5 highly corrected optical system optimized for CCD imaging.

The four-element NGC 316 corrector is the only optical system available to improve the optics of the classic Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope out to 35mm diagonals.

Using Zemax optical design software Optec engineers set about to develop a 3-inch optical corrector to be used with cameras having CCD and CMOS sensors up to 35mm across.  A reduction factor of 0.75X was chosen to provide a faster system than the native f/10 and f/11 SCT designs currently available.  

For additional details and more screen shots from the NGC 316, click here.

Using the same design philosophy as the smaller, 2-inch NextGEN line of telecompressors, a camera-specific mounting plate holds the CCD sensor at exactly the correct focal point for a fully optimized image and exact 0.75X reduction.  Consult the table at left or call Optec for any camera / filter wheel combination not listed.