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Perseus 4-port Instrument Selector
Optec's 4-port Instrument Selector allows the remote observatory user the ability to remotely select any of four instrument packages attached to their telescope.
Now in the third generation, Optec's Perseus
Instrument Selector GEN3 is the latest in multiple instrument
automation. Perseus GEN3 features both USB/Serial and Ethernet
communications with iPhone, iPad, and Android smartphone control. With a
reliable stepper motor from Lin Engineering and completely redesigned
control circuit, the Perseus is more robust than ever. A hard mechanical
stop ensures repeatible positional accuracy with each port. Optec's
Perseus GEN3 Instrument Selector is the undisputed standard for multiple
instrument clusters attached to any observatory class telescope.
There are four instrument ports - three 2-inch ports and
one 3-inch port available with the Perseus. In the video below, the mirror is not yet attached to
the prototype but it is
an 1/8th wave first surface elliptical mirror with a 3-inch minor axis.
The embedded circuit has a single push button interface for use at the telescope and an RS232 DB9 interface for remote control. LED indicators show the currently selected instrument.
Specifications:
- Overall Height: 7.00" (17.8cm)
- Main Body Diameter: 4.25" (10.8cm)
- Weight: approx. 5 lb. (2.25 kg)
- Telescope Adapter: OPTEC-3600 Female Dovetail Mount
- Instrument Ports: Three 2-inch & One 3-inch
- Primary Port #1:
- Mechanical Interface: OPTEC-3600 Male Dovetail
- Clear Aperture: 3.0" (76mm)
- Back-focus usage: 4.5" (11.4 cm)
- Secondary Ports #2, #3, #4:
- Primary Mechanical Interface: OPTEC-2400 Male Dovetail
- Clear Aperture: 2.1" (53mm)
- Back-focus usage: 4.3" (11.0cm)
- Secondary Interface: Knurled Parfocal adjusting OPTEC-2300 Receiver
- Clear Aperture: 1.9" (48mm)
- Back-focus usage: 5.0" to 5.5" (12.7cm to 14cm)
- Total Parfocal Travel: 0.5" (12.7mm)
- Mounting Options: T-thread, SCT thread, C-mount, Pentax
- Control Interface: Push-button Selection, Software control,
Smartphone app
- Multiple Communications Interfaces:
- RS-232 serial with Optec's USB/Serial cable (included),
- Standard TCP/IP Ethernet with RJ45 socket (Ethernet cable included),
- iPhone, iPad, and Android control through embedded web pages.
- Software Interface: Fully ASCOM compliant Perseus Commander software available for download. Local server includes focus and mount control for non-parfocal instrument clusters.
Perseus Commander software and ASCOM driver
Perseus Installations
Oxford University has fielded multiple Perseus Instrument Selectors worldwide. Photos above courtesy Professor Katherine Blundell showing the GEN2 version Perseus Instrument Selector.
Ordering Information:
Click here for more details or to order Optec stock #19605.
