APEX is a low-cost, full-featured interferogram analysis program for use in optical shops and in optical engineering departments. It automatically finds the centers of fringes and calculates the aberrations present in optical test interferograms.
APEX offers an unbeatable combination of features, performance, and price that makes it your clear choice when upgrading your analysis capabilities. Whether you're in the lab or on the shop floor, APEX offers you the tools you need to tackle your most difficult analysis job. [Detail>>>]

CODE V is ORA's comprehensive program for optical design, analysis, illumination calculations, and fabrication support. [Detail>>>]

dbOptic - The Optical Design Database Program for PCs & Compatibles Powerful, easy to use optical design software from Sky Scientific makes light work of optical design from a single lens or mirror to complex systems of up to 99 surfaces. [Detail>>>]

OpticalBase 1.0 Mirror Design & Testing Aid Software. The Only Software Design Tool You Will Ever Need To Design, Build And Test A Telescope That Is Truly Beyond Reproach! [Detail>>>]

OpTiX is a comprehensive program family for the design, analysis and optimization of optical systems. It handles sequential and non-sequential surfaces and also includes a thin film analysis package. [Detail>>>]

OSLO is software used by scientists and engineers to design lenses, reflectors, optical instruments, laser collimators, and illumination systems. It is also used for simulation and analysis of optical systems using both geometrical and physical optics. In addition to optical design and analysis, OSLO provides a complete technical software development system including interactive graphics, math, and database libraries. There is a free version of OSLO intended for educational use. [Detail>>>]

The SYNOPSYS lens design program is one of the largest and most powerful lens design programs in the world. Nearly 40 years of development and a new Windows version make it easy for a novice to use and comprehensive enough for a demanding professional. [Detail>>>]

ZEMAX Optical design program for optimizing, tolerancing, and analyzing sequential imaging systems, and for modeling and analyzing general non-sequential systems. Demo available. [Detail>>>]

Software from Bentec Services Limited (Canada):

• HyperXrayWebProg.exe - 1st lens of a stacked lens system - synchrotron source.
• SuperFresnelWebProg.exe - Singlet lens - dual Fresnel surfaces
• HyperFresnelWebProg.exe - Fresnel lens
• HybridFresnelWebProg.exe - Hybrid Fresnel lens
  
• HybridNullWebProg.exe - Interferometer lens-testing
• HybridTestNullWebProg.exe - alternative to the above but using a standard asphere equation (with some restrictions) for the test surface.
• HybridWebProg.exe
  
• HyperSchmidtWebProg.exe - Schmidt camera
  

Achromat: a two-element lens which brings two colors to a common focus. [Detail>>>]

Aplanatic: a lens that minimizes spherical aberration and eliminates coma. This can be done with a single lens if the front and back surface power are in the ratio of F1 = 6F2. It can be done with two or more lenses with more flexibility.

Apochromatic: formally, a lens design that brings three wavelengths to a common focus. [Detail>>>]

Astigmatism: canonically, astigmatism exists when there is a difference between the optical power of the optical system in the tangential plane and that in the sagittal plane. [Detail>>>]

Ronchi Test: In this centennial of Vasco Ronchi's birth it seemed appropriate to devote one of these columns to the well-known method of testing optical systems that he developed in the 1920's. [Detail>>>]

ABERRATOR 3.X written by Cor Berrevoets is a Freeware that generates Star-Testings images to show the effects of aberrations influencing the quality of a telescope. [Homepage>>>] [Download>>>]

AstroPhotography Exposure Calculator. Calculates exposures for pictures of celestial objects and the parameters of optical systems, especially the f-ratio, which is necessary for calculating exposures. [Homepage>>>] [Download>>>]

ATMOS Analyze and Design both Centered/ Uncentered optical systems written by Massimo Riccardi (Italy). [Detail>>>]

CCD by the Astronomical Society of Southern New England. Based on your selection of CCD cameras, telescopes and camera lens (easily added or selected from lists including the most popular) it will calculate field of view, pixel coverage, effective focal lengths, focal ratio, size of chip, approximate size of object on the chip etc... [Homepage>>>] [Download>>>]

Eyepiece 2.0 for Telescope Users and Celestial Observers, which we are now offering free to individual astronomy hobbyists for their personal use (the program, information and data files, and images are protected by copyright.) It provides a computation engine for determining the appropriate eyepiece for specific sky objects: double stars, nebulae, and galaxies; assists in selecting nebular filters; and performs prime-focus astrophoto calculations. This program is not written for use in the WindowsTM environment; it is a DOS version. [Detail>>>]

MODAS is designed to allow you to quickly and easy evaluate the performance of optical systems. It is designed to be simple to use so that it may be used without a long learning period. However, it includes powerful features that make the software useful to advanced users. This program is an analysis tool. This program will make you on optical expert. After you have run MODAS, the analysis of the optical systems will make sense to you. [Detail>>>]

Newt 2.5. Assists the design of Newtonian telescopes. Allows to quickly test several parameters and displays the effect graphically on a telescope's model. Ideal also for those willing to understand the functioning of a reflector scope of the newtonian type. Simple, attractive and small. [Homepage>>>] [Download>>>]

OSLO LT 6.X. Professional optical design program. Splendid for specialists, useless for most of us. [Homepage>>>] [Download>>>]

REDSCOPE 4.04 DSO/Double Star Program "simulates" a telescope to calculate all operating parameters for viewing planets, multiple stars, and deep-sky objects, using eyepieces and filters. Messier, NGC, IC data, OBJECT VISIBILITY predictions, 600+ multiple star systems, and on-line help are featured. No upgrades are available. [Download>>>]

Ronchi for Windows v2.0 simulation program for Amateur Telescope Makers (ATMs.) It simulates the appearance of a mirror while undergoing the Ronchi Test. [Detail>>>]

TelOptiCulator 3.08. Input a certain amount of data (focal length, aperture, eyepiece...) and the program calculates the magnification; focal ratio; true field of view; maximum amplification power and theoretical resolution of a telescope. Also has a tool to compare the size of the field of view with the one of the moon. [Download>>>]

Vision Pro 1.XX. "A dedicated software for image processing and control of DTA CCD cameras. Has a complete geometrical run: there are commands like duplicate, resize, rotate, dilate/contract, rescale, flip and many others; it is also available an image editor which allows to modify the single pixel. [Homepage>>>] [Download>>>] [PDF manual (English)>>>]