This page last modified 2012 January 09
ATM Programs
Please be aware that some of these are programs are shareware and require a payment to the author if you use them beyond the trial period.
- scope.exe
Mel Bartels' program for controlling a dobsonian telescope from a PC, using stepper motors. Bartels's original altaz program can be found here. It contains construction details, circuit diagrams, images. - cell.zip
David Chandler's flotation cell design program -- 9-, 18- or 27-points - foucault.zip
Mirror testing based on Richard Berry's method. - grating_setup.exe
Generates a diffraction grating for the "big end", which you print out on a transparency. One of several bits of useful software from COAA. - gsum.zip
Simple raytrace program for achromatic doublets. Self-extracting archive. - irt52.zip
Comprehensive raytrace program. - mil-lac.zip
Spreadsheet for Millies-Lacroix reduction of the Foucault test -- Microsoft Works and Lotus123 format. - newt20.zip & newt25.zip
Newtonian telescope CAD program. It uses a GUI to design a Newtonian telescope, and allows you to modify all the parameters. Capabilities include:
- Display a side view of a newtonian telescope.
- Modify all parameters like mirror diameter, diagonal minor axis, focuser height, focuser inside diameter, tube inside diameter and thickness, and many more.
- Use inches, centimeters, or millimeters as the unit of measure.
- Calculate baffle size and placement.
- Calculate diagonal offset.
- Calculate fields of 100% and 75% illumination. - optics.zip
A variety of formulae, etc, of interest to the ATM. - sixtests.zip
SIXTESTS uses a series of test measurements to compute the mirror profile errors, several mirror evaluation parameters, and the resultant diffraction pattern. - springcw.zip
This public domain file contains the generic BASIC source code and the compiled EXE file for Jim Phillips' program SPRINGCW.BAS, which calculates spacings for a telescope spring counterweight system as described in Sky and Telescope, November 1999, pp 130-134. - tex.zip
Larry Phillips' and Dale Eason's program for Foucault test reduction based on Jean Texereau's method. - vign9502.zip
Gerald Pearson's program for determination of vignetting in Newtonian type telescopes.
