MAVIS: imager and spectrograph

Simon Ellis*, Ross Zhelem, Anthony Horton, Timothy Chin, Nuwanthika Fernando, Max Hewlett, Nuria Lorente, Summer Luo, Richard McDermid, Helen McGregor, David Robertson, Christian Schwab, Scott Smedley, Lew Waller, Jessica Zheng, Johan Kosmalski, Giovanni Cresci, Trevor Mendel, Andrea Bianco, David BrodrickJennifer Burgess, Dionne Haynes, Davide Greggio, Robert Content, Francois Rigaut

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

Abstract

MAVIS, the Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics Assisted Visible Imager and Spectrograph, is the world's first facility-grade visible MCAO instrument, currently in the final design phase for ESO's VLT. The AO system will feed an imager and an integral field spectrograph, with 50% sky coverage at the Galactic pole. MAVIS has unique angular resolution and sensitivity at visible wavelengths, and is highly complementary to both JWST and ELTs. We describe both instruments in detail and the broad range of science cases enabled by them. The imager will be diffraction-limited in V, with 7.36 mas per pixel covering a 30” FOV. A set of at least 5 broad-band, 3 medium-band and 16 narrow-band filters will provide imaging from u to z. The spectrograph uses an advanced image slicer with a selectable spatial sampling of 25 or 50 mas to provide integral field spectroscopy over a FOV of 2.5′′ × 3.6′′, or 5′′ × 7.2′′. The spectrograph has two identical arms each covering half the FOV. Four interchangeable grisms allow spectroscopy with R=4,000 to R=15,000, from 370-935 nm.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationGround-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy X
EditorsJulia J. Bryant, Kentaro Motohara, Joël R. Vernet
Place of PublicationWashington
PublisherSPIE
Pages1-14
Number of pages14
ISBN (Electronic)9781510675162
ISBN (Print)9781510675155
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024
EventGround-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy X 2024 - Yokohama, Japan
Duration: 16 Jun 202421 Jun 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE
PublisherSPIE
Volume13096
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceGround-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy X 2024
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityYokohama
Period16/06/2421/06/24

Keywords

  • Multi-conjugate adaptive optics
  • Imagers
  • Integral field spectrographs
  • Spectrographs
  • Adaptive optics
  • Image slicers

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