WIYN Observatory
Encyclopedia
The WIYN Observatory is owned and operated by the WIYN Consortium
. Its telescope
, a 3.5-meter instrument, is the newest and second largest telescope on Kitt Peak
in Arizona
. Most of the capital costs of the observatory
were provided by the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, Indiana University
, and Yale University
, while the National Optical Astronomy Observatory
provides most of the operating services.
using fiber optics positioned in the focal plane to allow up to 100 separate objects to be observed at a time. The light is guided to a spectrograph
room under the main telescope where a CCD camera records the spectrum
of each object. The field of view
is ~1 degree. http://www.noao.edu/wiyn/
MiniMo: MiniMo is a CCD camera consisting of two 2048x4096 pixel chips, with a field of view
of 9.6 arcminutes. The two separate chips allows for faster readout of the image than would have been otherwise possible, as they can be read out simultaneously. http://www.noao.edu/wiyn/
WHIRC: WHIRC is a near infrared high resolution imaging camera, commissioned in 2008 for the 3.5m telescope. WHIRC was a joint project between the WIYN partners and STSci. It consists in a 2k x 2k detector providing an excellent pixel scale of 0.1"/pixel and a field of view of 200 x 200 arcsec. WHIRC can be used with the WIYN Tip/Tilt Module (WTTM) to provide exquisite high-resolution images. A large set of filters is available.
ODI: The One Degree Imager (ODI) is the flagship of WIYN's new instrument initiatives. ODI will utilize both WIYN's one degree field of view and excellent image quality. The focal plane of the optical imager will be sampled with 0.1" pixels, or 1 Gigapixels in total. The sharpness of images will be actively improved by correcting images for tip/tilt image motion during the integration corrections will be done over the entire field of view, using a novel detector technology called Orthogonal Transfer Array CCD, making ODI a unique and competitive instrument in the era of wide-field surveys. ODI is funded by the WIYN partners and the National Science Foundation. It is expected that scientific programs will be undertaken with ODI starting in the second semester of 2010.
Between 2000-2008, the WIYN Director was Dr. George Jacoby, followed by Dr. Pierre Martin (2008-2010). Since December 2010, Dr. Pat Knezek serves as interim director.
WIYN Consortium
WIYN Consortium consists of the University of Wisconsin–Madison , Indiana University , Yale University , and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories...
. Its telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
, a 3.5-meter instrument, is the newest and second largest telescope on Kitt Peak
Kitt Peak
Kitt Peak is a mountain in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the location of the Kitt Peak National Observatory. The radio telescope at the Observatory is one of ten dishes comprising the Very Long Baseline Array ....
in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. Most of the capital costs of the observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
were provided by the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
, and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, while the National Optical Astronomy Observatory
National Optical Astronomy Observatory
The National Optical Astronomy Observatory is the United States national observatory for ground based nighttime ultraviolet-optical-infrared astronomy. The National Science Foundation funds NOAO to provide forefront astronomical research facilities for US astronomers...
provides most of the operating services.
Standard and Future Instrumentation
HYDRA: HYDRA is a multiobject spectrographSpectrograph
A spectrograph is an instrument that separates an incoming wave into a frequency spectrum. There are several kinds of machines referred to as spectrographs, depending on the precise nature of the waves...
using fiber optics positioned in the focal plane to allow up to 100 separate objects to be observed at a time. The light is guided to a spectrograph
Spectrograph
A spectrograph is an instrument that separates an incoming wave into a frequency spectrum. There are several kinds of machines referred to as spectrographs, depending on the precise nature of the waves...
room under the main telescope where a CCD camera records the spectrum
Spectrum
A spectrum is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary infinitely within a continuum. The word saw its first scientific use within the field of optics to describe the rainbow of colors in visible light when separated using a prism; it has since been applied by...
of each object. The field of view
Field of view
The field of view is the extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment....
is ~1 degree. http://www.noao.edu/wiyn/
MiniMo: MiniMo is a CCD camera consisting of two 2048x4096 pixel chips, with a field of view
Field of view
The field of view is the extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment....
of 9.6 arcminutes. The two separate chips allows for faster readout of the image than would have been otherwise possible, as they can be read out simultaneously. http://www.noao.edu/wiyn/
WHIRC: WHIRC is a near infrared high resolution imaging camera, commissioned in 2008 for the 3.5m telescope. WHIRC was a joint project between the WIYN partners and STSci. It consists in a 2k x 2k detector providing an excellent pixel scale of 0.1"/pixel and a field of view of 200 x 200 arcsec. WHIRC can be used with the WIYN Tip/Tilt Module (WTTM) to provide exquisite high-resolution images. A large set of filters is available.
ODI: The One Degree Imager (ODI) is the flagship of WIYN's new instrument initiatives. ODI will utilize both WIYN's one degree field of view and excellent image quality. The focal plane of the optical imager will be sampled with 0.1" pixels, or 1 Gigapixels in total. The sharpness of images will be actively improved by correcting images for tip/tilt image motion during the integration corrections will be done over the entire field of view, using a novel detector technology called Orthogonal Transfer Array CCD, making ODI a unique and competitive instrument in the era of wide-field surveys. ODI is funded by the WIYN partners and the National Science Foundation. It is expected that scientific programs will be undertaken with ODI starting in the second semester of 2010.
Governance
The WIYN Consortium is governed by the Board of Directors, which includes three members of each partner institution. The Board meets twice a year. The Science Advisory Committee provides scientific guidance to the Board and the WIYN Director.Between 2000-2008, the WIYN Director was Dr. George Jacoby, followed by Dr. Pierre Martin (2008-2010). Since December 2010, Dr. Pat Knezek serves as interim director.
External links
- WIYN Observatory - official site.