MOSAIC
MDM/Ohio State Array Infrared Camera
Overview
MOSAIC/TIFKAM/OSU-IRIS is a multi-purpose near-infrared imager and
spectrometer. The instrument was designed to illuminate a 1024x1024 InSb
array, but currently has a 512x1024 array (see First ALLADIN Engineering Run
for some results). The instrument can be used at any telescope with a beam
slower than ~f/7.5 and will ultimately include optics for two plate scales and
a variety of spectroscopic modes. Currently, there is one f/7.5 camera (which
gives ~0.3"/pix at the f/7.5 MDM 2.4m telescope) and one grism and slit (which
give R~1350 and coverage of the entire K or J bands). Shortly, there should be
a grism suitable for H band spectroscopy as well.
First ALADDIN Engineering Run (1996 Sept 18-21)
MOSAIC was installed on the 2.1-meter (84-inch) telescope for its first
field run with an ALADDIN array from Sept 18-21. The participants were
Bruce Atwood, Tom O'Brian, Darren DePoy, Jerry Mason, and Rick Pogge from
Ohio State; Ian Gatley and Mike Merrill from NOAO; and Fred Vrba and Arne
Henden from USNO Flagstaff.
The array we are using is a science-grade hybridized ALADDIN InSb array
obtained from the USNO and NOAO ALADDIN project. This particular device
has only two working quadrants, (512x1024 pixels), and will be the science
array used for the next two years unless another array becomes available
(the instrument optics are designed to fully illuminate a full 1024x1024
ALADDIN array). The array is kept at 30K using a small closed-cycle
cryocooler unit integrated into the detector mount internal to the
instrument; no external cryocooling is required. The rest of the
instrument is cooled to Liquid Nitrogen temperatures using an internal
reservoir that is part of the cold optical bench. Thermal IR blocking is
provided by a BK7 filter mounted directly in front of the array.
This web page gives a brief review of the results of the observing run. We
had 3 nights on the telescope (UT 96 Sept 19-21), and were working the
first night. Only one of the nights (Sept 21) was photometric.
Results
OSU Imaging Sciences Laboratory
OSU Astronomy Department
NOAO
USNO
MDM
Observatory
Updated: 1996 September 30 [isl]