CIRSI: the Cambridge Infrared Survey Instrument

Martin G. Beckett; Craig D. Mackay; Richard G. McMahon; Ian Robert Parry; Francois Piche; Richard S. Ellis

doi:10.1117/12.269003

21 March 1997 CIRSI: the Cambridge Infrared Survey Instrument

Martin G. Beckett, Craig D. Mackay, Richard G. McMahon, Ian Robert Parry, Francois Piche, Richard S. Ellis

Proceedings Volume 2871, Optical Telescopes of Today and Tomorrow; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.269003
Event: Optical Telescopes of Today and Tomorrow, 1996, Landskrona/Hven, Sweden

Abstract

We are currently building a panoramic wide field near infrared imaging camera based on 4 Rockwell Hawaii HgCdTe 1024² detectors. The survey instrument will operate in the J and H bands and will be as scientifically versatile and as easy to use as a large format CCD camera. It is expected to be ready for astronomical use by late 1997. It will be particularly well-suited for surveys of star-forming regions, low mass stars, distant galaxies, clusters and QSOs. The camera will be commissioned at the prime focus of the 2.5 m Isaac Newton telescope, where the image scale is 0.45'/pixel, giving an effective field of view of 14.6 by 14.6 arc minutes. The field of view of this camera with 0.15' pixels is 5.1 by 5.1 arc minutes and is thus approximately 60 times larger than the current near-infrared imager on Keck (NIRC). When combined with a 4.0 m class telescope, the combination is approximately 10 times as powerful as the Keck 10.0 m, when the apertures are taken into account. The options for upgrading the camera into a wide field spectroscopic survey instrument are currently being investigated.

Citation Download Citation

Martin G. Beckett, Craig D. Mackay, Richard G. McMahon, Ian Robert Parry, Francois Piche, and Richard S. Ellis "CIRSI: the Cambridge Infrared Survey Instrument", Proc. SPIE 2871, Optical Telescopes of Today and Tomorrow, (21 March 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.269003

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