OPTICS ASSEMBLY FOR OBSERVING A PANORAMIC SCENE

An optics assembly for observing a panoramic scene. The optics assembly includes a plurality of optical elements. A first element redirects light from the panoramic scene. The optical power of the first element forms an imaginary pupil. The energy from the first element is redirected about 90 degrees, forming an annular path. A second element receives the redirected light and re-images the imaginary pupil to form a real pupil. This portion of the energy continues to be in an annular form. A third element includes an optical relay system having a group of reimaging optics. The third element receives light from the second element while relaying the real pupil into the reimaging optics. It also establishes the focal length of the optics assembly, corrects pupil aberrations produced at the real pupil, corrects field aberrations and produces an annular image on a flat focal plane. The optical relay system interfaces with the second element through the use of the real pupil. The real pupil is formed at the cold stop and filter location in the third element. This pupil is relayed back through the system to be coincident with the first real pupil. The optics assembly produces a small F-number at field angles near perpendicular to the output optical axis of the optics assembly over a panoramic scene.