Final design of Cerberus, a three-headed instrument for the OARPAF telescope

TL;DR

Cerberus is a multi-functional instrument designed for the OARPAF telescope, integrating imaging, tip-tilt stabilization, and spectroscopic modes with a custom interface and control software.

Contribution

This paper presents the design and integration of a novel three-headed instrument for the OARPAF telescope, combining multiple observing modes with a custom interface.

Findings

Optical design optimized via Zemax ray tracing.

Successful integration of hardware components.

Development of web-based control software.

Abstract

Cerberus will be a new scientific instrument for the alt-az, 1m-class OARPAF telescope in Northern Italy. Currently, the telescope operates with a CCD camera used for imaging and photometry. One of the objectives of the project is to improve this observing mode with a tip-tilt lens for image stabilization up to 10Hz. Moreover, a long-slit spectroscopy at R 5900 and an optical fiber \'echelle spectroscopy at R 9300 observing modes will be included. These addtional two "heads" of Cerberus will be exclusively selected by moving flat 45 degree mirrors by means of a linear stage placed in a new custom interface flange. The flange will replace the existing one, recovering the included field flattener lens, to ensure optical correction of the imaging channel. We present the already procured COTS hardware, the opto-mechanical design of the interface flange, the results of the Zemax ray tracing and the design of the web-based instrument control software.