Optical Mechanics, Inc. or OMI is a high-end American

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption, or Reflection (physics), reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally, it was an optical instrument using len ...

and optics instrument manufacturer. OMI was founded in 2002 and produces observatory telescopes,

Lidar Lidar (, also LIDAR, an acronym of "light detection and ranging" or "laser imaging, detection, and ranging") is a method for determining ranging, ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected li ...

telescopes, optical tube assemblies, telescope mirrors and reflective coatings for mirrors. OMI mirrors are used by other telescope makers such as Obsession Telescopes. Also taking on custom projects, they produced the 48-inch Dob, a

aperture In optics, the aperture of an optical system (including a system consisting of a single lens) is the hole or opening that primarily limits light propagated through the system. More specifically, the entrance pupil as the front side image o ...

, 4, Dobsonian telescope called "Barbarella" and featured in Astronomy Technology Today magazine (June 2008 Issue). OMI is located in the US state of

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

. OMI procured the assets of the former optics company Torus Technologies. OMI has an optics shop where it does work on telescopes. OMI produced the 60 cm, f/10 telescope for TUBITAK National Observatory in

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. OMI built the telescope mount for the

SuperWASP WASP or Wide Angle Search for Planets is an international consortium of several academic organisations performing an ultra-wide angle search for exoplanets using transit photometry. The array of robotic telescopes aims to survey the entire sky ...

telescope. The

Robotic telescope A robotic telescope is an astronomical telescope and detector system that makes observations without the intervention of a human. In astronomical disciplines, a telescope qualifies as robotic if it makes those observations without being operated ...

Rigel Telescope was finished in 2002, a Talon program controlled 0.37-meter (14.5 in) F/14 telescope. OMI helped re-furbish the Gueymard Research Telescope at The George Observatory at Brazos Bend State Park. The telescope's mirror was degrading after many decades of use and exposure. The 10 ton 36 inch aperture telescope was acquired from

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...

in 1990. It is a cassegrain telescope, and one of the largest that is open to public viewing through an eyepiece. OMI had to strip off aluminum coating and re-surface the glass mirror. The mirror was ground to a hyperbolic shape, and the refurbishment was conducted in 2014. OMI refitted the 0.8 m telescope at

McDonald Observatory McDonald Observatory is an astronomical observatory located near unincorporated community of Fort Davis in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The facility is located on Mount Locke in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, with additional faci ...

in 2011 to 2012. Another telescope OMI built was the CESAR Cebreros Optical Telescope at Cebreros observatory at the ESA Deep Space Tracking Station The telescope is a Cassegrain design with 50cm and a F/10 ratio. (see also Cebreros Station)

OMI Evolution-30

OMI developed the 30-inch mirror for Obsession Telescopes's 30-inch reflector When Obsession withdrew from the 30-inch market, OMI still wanted to offer their 30-inch mirrors. Drawing on help from Obsession Telescopes and their own experience with the OMI 48-inch telescope, they offered the OMI Evolution-30 in 2009.

References

{{Reflist

External links

OMI
Telescope manufacturers Optics manufacturing companies Companies established in 2002 2002 establishments in the United States