ImagingPath.principalRay

raytracing.ImagingPath.principalRay(self)

This function returns the principal ray, which is the chief ray for the height y at the edge of the field of view. The chief ray is the ray that goes through the center of the aperture stop.

Returns:

principalRay – The properties (i.e. height and the angle of the principal ray).

Return type:

object of Ray class

Notes

Because of round off errors, we need to double check that the ray really goes through. We lower the height until it does if it initially does not.

See also

raytracing.ImagingPath.marginalRays, raytracing.ImagingPath.axialRay, raytracing.ImagingPath.chiefRay