Space Telescope Low-Scattered-Light Camera: A Model

Abstract

A design approach for a camera to be used with the Space Telescope is given. Camera optics relay the system pupil onto an annular Gaussian ring apodizing mask to control diffracted light. Image plane intensity distributions for both one- and two-dimensional models of ripple on the primary mirror were calculated. Calculations using ripple amplitudes between X/20 and X/200 with spatial correlations of the ripple across the primary mirror between 0.2 and 2.0 cm indicate that the detection of an object 109 times fainter than a bright source in the field is possible. We thus conclude that detection of a Jovian-type planet in orbit about a Centauri with a camera on the Space Telescope may be possible.