FOC Handbook Version 7.0

The FOC Instrument Handbook Version 7.0, dated June 1996, provides the latest information on the FOC. It also contains a great deal on information relevant to analyzing FOC data, such as encircled energy curves for photometric analysis.

Below is a table of contents from the handbook allowing for access to each chapter of the handbook individually in PostScript format. The starting page number for each chapter follows the chapter title. All the figures and tables are included in each chapter making some chapters very large. Following the table of contents is a simple listing of tables and figures from the handbook.

Version 5.0 and Version 6.0 of the FOC Instrument Handbook are still available.

ASCII Version

PostScript Version (Whole Document)

PostScript Version (by chapter)

1. HANDBOOK REFERENCE GUIDE - 1 [98 kb]

1.1 What is the FOC? - 1

1.2 Why Use the FOC? - 1

1.3 What other imaging capabilities does HST offer? - 2

1.4 What is the actual performance of the FOC? - 3

1.5 How do I calculate the FOC exposure times? - 3

1.6 What features of the FOC have been calibrated? - 3

1.7 Where can I get updated information on the FOC? - 3

1.8 Where is information about pre-COSTAR FOC data? - 4

1.9 What's New with the FOC Handbook? - 4

1.10 What considerations should be made in preparing an FOC observing proposal? - 5

2. COSTAR OVERVIEW - 8 [60 kb]
3. INSTRUMENT OVERVIEW - 11 [5434 kb]
4. DETAILED INSTRUMENT DESCRIPTION - 16 [1112 kb]

4.1 TRANSFER OPTICS - 16

4.2 FOCAL PLANE APERTURES - 17

4.3 INTERNAL CALIBRATION SYSTEM - 23

4.4 FILTER WHEELS - 23

4.4.1 Bandpass and Neutral Density Filters - 32

4.4.2 Objective Prisms - 33

4.4.3 Polarizers - 36

4.5 LONG SLIT SPECTROGRAPHIC FACILITY - 38

4.6 DETECTORS - 40

4.6.1 Image Intensifier and Coupling Lens - 40

4.6.2 TV Tube - 41

4.7 VIDEO PROCESSING UNIT - 42

4.8 SCIENCE DATA STORE - 43

5. OBSERVING ARRANGEMENTS - 45 [91 kb]

5.1 IMAGING, OCCULTATION AND SPECTROGRAPHIC MODES - 45

5.2 TARGET ACQUISITION MODES - 48

5.2.1 Mode I Target Acquisition - INTeractive ACQuisition - 48

5.2.2 Mode III Target Acquisition - Blind Pointing - 48

5.2.3 EARLY ACQuisition - 49

5.3 THE FOC TARGET ACQUISITION APERTURES - 49

6. INSTRUMENT PERFORMANCE - 50 [1819 kb]

6.1 THE POINT SPREAD FUNCTION (PSF) - 50

6.1.1 Image quality and Field Dependence of the PSF - 54

6.2 DYNAMIC RANGE - 54

6.2.1 Uniform Illumination - 55

6.2.2 Non-Uniform Illumination - 56

6.3 ABSOLUTE QUANTUM EFFICIENCY - 58

6.3.1 Format-dependent Effects - 62

6.4 DETECTOR BACKGROUND - 63

6.5 STRAY LIGHT - 64

6.6 DETECTOR OVERLOAD - 65

6.7 OVERHEAD TIMES AND MULTIPLE EXPOSURES - 66

6.8 GUIDING MODES WITH THE FOC - 67

6.9 UNIFORMITY OF RESPONSE (FLAT FIELDING) - 67

6.10 VISIBLE LEAKS - 71

6.11 GEOMETRIC DISTORTION AND STABILITY - 73

6.12 PLATE SCALE - 75

6.13 CURRENT f/48 PERFORMANCE - 76

6.14 OBJECTIVE PRISM SPECTROPHOTOMETRY - 77

7. OBSERVER'S GUIDE (PRESCRIPTION FOR ESTIMATING EXPOSURE TIMES) - 82 [218 kb]

7.1 POINT SOURCES - 85

7.1.1 Imaging - 85

7.1.2 Spectroscopy - 87

7.2 EXTENDED SOURCES - 88

8. FOC EXPOSURE TIME SIMULATORS - 92 [110 kb]

8.1 FOCSIM - 92

8.2 WWW Form for FOCSIM - 93

8.3 SYNPHOT - 93

8.4 Image Orientation Calculator - 94

8.5 Objective Prism Image Simulation - 94

8.6 Limiting Magnitudes - 94

9. FOC WWW PAGES - 97 [61 kb]
10. FOC DATA ANALYSIS AND PRODUCTS - 99 [79 kb]

10.1 PIPELINE PROCESSING - 99

10.2 GENERAL PROCEDURES - 101

10.2.1 Dark-Count Subtraction - 101

10.2.2 Format-Dependent Photometric Correction (ITF) - 101

10.2.3 Correct For Zoom Mode - 101

10.2.4 Compute Absolute Sensitivity - 101

10.2.5 Geometric Correction - 101

10.2.6 Relative Calibration or Flat Field Correction (normal images only) - 102

10.2.7 Spectrographic Detective Efficiency Correction - 102

11. FOC CALIBRATION: STATUS AND ACCURACIES - 103 [96 kb]

11.1 CURRENT CALIBRATION STATUS - 103

11.1.1 The Routine Calibration Programs - 104

11.1.2 The Special Calibration Programs - 104

11.2 CALIBRATION ACCURACIES - 104

11.2.1 Absolute Sensitivity - 104

11.2.2 Geometric Distortion - 105

11.2.3 Flat Fields - 105

11.2.4 Pointing Accuracy - 106

11.2.5 Objective Prisms - 106

11.2.6 Polarization - 107

11.2.7 f/48 Long-slit Calibrations - 107

12. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS and APPENDIX - 110 [2190 kb]

List of Figures

List of Tables