How Do You Calculate Telescope FOV Using Earth's Rotation?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the field of view (FOV) of a telescope using Earth's rotation, specifically for an observation of Vega (alpha Lyr., RA: 18.5h, Dec: +39°). The formula applied is TFOV (in arc minutes) = Drift Time in seconds × Cos(Declination) × 0.250684462. A participant calculated the FOV to be 61.9 arc minutes, which aligns with the expected outcome based on the provided parameters.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of celestial coordinates (Right Ascension and Declination)
  • Basic knowledge of telescope mechanics and eyepiece functions
  • Familiarity with trigonometric functions, particularly cosine
  • Ability to convert time measurements into seconds for calculations
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the impact of declination on telescope FOV calculations
  • Learn about the mechanics of telescope clock drives and their role in tracking celestial objects
  • Explore advanced formulas for calculating FOV in different observational contexts
  • Investigate the effects of atmospheric conditions on telescope observations
USEFUL FOR

Astronomy students, amateur astronomers, and educators interested in practical applications of celestial mechanics and telescope usage.

trina1990
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a problem from an olympiad

"A student tries to measure field of view (FOV) of the eyepiece of his/her
telescope, using rotation of the Earth. To do this job, the observer points the telescope
towards Vega (alpha Lyr., RA: 18.5h , Dec: +39° ), turns off its "clock drive" and measures
trace out time, t=5.3 minutes, that Vega crosses the full diameter of the FOV. What is the
FOV of this telescope in arc-minutes?"


may i apply the formula
TFOV( IN ARC MINUTES)=DRIFT TIME IN SECONDS X COS ( DECLINATION) X 0.250684462

I got it to be 61.9 arc minutes...is it ok?
 
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Looks OK to me.
 

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