The Infrared Extension to the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Low Resolution Spectrograph

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

Osmer award abstract AST 9987045 Partial funding is sought to design and build a Multi-Object Double Spectrograph (MODS) for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The instrument will have a range of intermediate spectral resolutions (103 to 106) for a 0.6 arc-second wide slit. It will deliver high throughout from 320 to 1000 Nanometers wavelengths through the use of two separate optical channels, one optimized for the blue, the other for the red. The spectrograph will use an open architecture, modular design approach with a minimum number of optical elements. The design is innovative as demonstrated by its capability to accept a forecasted Adaptive Optics (A/O) unit. Research activities include the formation and evolution of galaxies and the origin of structure in the universe. ***