During the nights from October 11 to 13, 2019, the OPTICAM system was installed and tested for the first time on the 2.1 m telescope of the OAN-SPM observatory. The tests were performed with the main objective of evaluating the ability to focus on the three arms of the system, as well as testing the software for individual and simultaneous acquisition of images. In the temporary absence of the dichroic elements required by our system (which are in the process of being manufactured), a borrowed dichroic was used provided with similar transmission/reflection characteristics but different optical properties. This dichroic was used as a mirror for focus tests on each arm and finally to obtain a simultaneous image on two of the three OPTICAM channels. The complete operation of the instrument is expected for the first half of 2020, once the final integration of the beam splitters is performed according to OPTICAM specifications.
The images presented below were acquired in direct image mode (no beam splitter) using camera 3 (C3) mounted on Arm 3 of the OPTICAM system and the SDSS filter i '. The images are presented in false color for illustrative purposes. The light curve obtained for GK Per was also acquired with the filter i', while the filters i' and r' were used simultaneously to obtain the BL Cam light curve. Better results are expected once OPTICAM is fully functional.
| Astrophysical Object | Filter | Exposure Time x N | Image Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crab Nebula | i' | 10 s x 72 | A. Castro, J.V. Hernández-Santiesteban, & OPTICAM team |
| M15 | i' | 30 s x 3 | A. Castro, R. Michel, & OPTICAM team |
| M57 | i' | 30 s x 12 | A. Castro, M.O. Arabaci, & OPTICAM team |
| NGC 7235 | i' | 0.5 s x 37 | A. Castro, C. Tejada, E. Colorado, & OPTICAM team |
| GK Per | i' | 1 s x 6593 | J.V. Hernández-Santiesteban, A. Castro, & OPTICAM team |
| BL Cam | r' & i' | 2 s x 1637 | R. Michel, A. Castro, & OPTICAM team |
