No photon left behind: optimizing image quality for the Argus Optical Array

Argus Pathfinder is a wide-field optical survey designed to discover transient events via sub-minute deep imaging. Pathfinder integrates up to 38 small-aperture telescopes into a single tracking mount and is also a 1:20 scale prototype for the planned 900-telescope all-sky Argus Optical Array. Optimizing and maintaining image quality for this many optical assemblies is challenging. Each assembly must be carefully collimated, tilt-aligned, and focused to micron-level precision and remain stable over months-long timescales. These calibrations will be achieved with a custom focuser design coupled with robotic actuation and dedicated software tools and preserved by operating the array in a lab-like enclosure, limiting the need for cleaning and maintenance. We present the performance of Argus Pathfinder’s climate-control system (in continuous operation for a year as of December 2023), our custom focuser design, and the development of the automated calibration process tested on Pathfinder for full deployment on the Argus Optical Array.