About the Subaru Telescope
Observational instruments
FOCAS (Faint Object Camera And Spectrograph)
Designed for high-sensitivity optical observations of faint celestial objects, this versatile instrument includes all of the fundamental modes of optical astronomy: imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetry. Its multi-object spectrograph, which enables observations of the spectra of about 50 objects at once, allows astronomers to determine the distance and detailed physical proper-ties (e.g., chemical composition, mass, stellar population) of very faint celestial objects in far-distant galaxies. The data it produces contribute to an under-standing of the origin and evolution of the Universe.
Fast Facts
Description:
- Optical imager
- Low- to medium-resolution multiple-object spectroscopy
- Specialied for observing faint objects
Operation:
- Allows broad- and narrow-band imaging, spectroscopy, imaging polarimetry, and spectropolarimetry of a wide range of objects.
- Several observational modes
- Direct optical imaging
- Long-slit spectroscopy
- Observes a single celestial object through an elongated slit aperture.
- Refracts light with a prism or diffraction grating.
- Allows different frequencies of light to fall on different parts of the sensor.
- Multi-object spectroscopy
- Uses several slits to observe multiple celestial objects in the field of view.
- Uses a slit-mask changing system to position a special mask each time, depending on the target area.
- Obtains simultaneous spectra of up to 50 objects close to each other in the area.
- Polarimetry
- Measures polarization of light, i.e., the degree to which light waves vibrate wholly or partially in one direction rather than at random.
- Gives information about the orientation of the object not obtained by other observational methods.
- Spectropolarimetry
- Measures polarization of light from celestial objects
- Uses spectrograph to isolate the areas for measurement
- Flexibility of observing modes with quick, efficient exchanges
- From spectroscopy to polarimetry to imaging
- Of filters, grisms (a combination of a prism and grating), gratings (fine, parallel, equally spaced grooves)
- Of the angle of the wave plate, which converts polarized light in different ways
Applications:
- Designed especially for spectroscopy of faint objects, e.g., distant galaxies, quasars, outer asteroids of the Solar System.
- Confirms actual distances of celestial objects, e.g., supernovae, and measures distances to the most distant, faint galaxies near the edge of the Universe.
Specifics:
- Size and weight
- Size: 2 x 2 x 2 m
- Weight: 2 tons
- Placement: Cassegrain focus
- Wavelength(s): 0.4-1.0 microns
- FOV: 6 arcminutes
- Detectors: CCDs with enhanced sensitivity (Hamamatsu)
- Two 4,096 x 2,048 pixel 4-side buttable detectors
- 2 x 1 mosaic pattern
Development:
- 1991-1995 Finalized the detailed design, e.g., optical design, mechanical design, control system, grisms, wave plates for polarimetry, multi-slit exchange mechanism.
- 1996 Construction began. The collimator lens unit and the camera lens unit were manufactured by Nikon.
- 1999 Shipped to Hawaii. Action and control tests, adjustments, optimizations on telescope simulators at Mitaka campus in Tokyo and at the Hilo base facility.
- 2000 (February) First light
- 2001 Available for common-use observations after commissioning and testing most of the instrument's features
- 2003 Polarimetry mode available
- 2010 CCDs replaced with fully-depleted type CCDs manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics KK
Specialized Information about the Instrument and Observing:
► http://www.naoj.org/Observing/Instruments/FOCAS/index.html