HSC Project

Research Background and Objectives

Subaru Telescope has the unique prime focus (主焦点) located 15 m above the primary mirror (主鏡) The prime focus provides us with the wide field of view that covers the entire moon at the same time. In 1999, our group had developed a Prime Focus Camera, Suprime-Cam. Thanks to the Subaru's mechanical stability and accurately adjusted optics as well as superb seeing on Maunakea, sharp images were realized over the entire field of view. Wide field and sharp camera on a large aperture telescope had been unique and enables many new discoveries.

About ten years have passed after the first light of the camera. Since then, great progress have been made in understanding galaxy formations in early universe whereas new mysteries emerge such as dark energy. It turns out that the performance of Suprime-Cam is not enough to tackle with these new themes in observational astronomy.

In the mean time, advances of manufacturing technologies in semiconductor and optics industries enables large format sensors and lens that are crucial for building larger astronomical camera. Therefore, we decided to build Hyper Suprime-Cam in 2002 whose field of view is seven times wider than that of Suprime-Cam.


History

Year Milestone, Progress Budget, Organization People Org.
2002 Conceptual study of new lens Subaru R&D (Miyazaki+) 3 1
2003~ CCD development, Mechanics concept study Grants-in-Aid(Miyazaki+) 6 1
2005   ASIAA participation 10 2
2006~ CCD production, Lens, Mechanics detail design Grants-in-Aid (Karoji+) 33 4
2007   Princeton participation ~40 5
2008   NAOJ Subaru HSC project established ~40 5
2009 Design Review   ~40 5
2010~   Stimulus Package (Murayama+) ~40 5
2011

Lens and PFU completed
Camera unit completed
  ~40 5
2012

Arrival at the summit of Maunakea
Installation test on the telescope
     
2013 First light      
2014 Open-use observations started      
History of HSC Project

 

HSC Collaboration

Camera Development

Institute/Company Roles
NAOJ

Management, System design, vacuum dewar, CCD, CCD readout electronics, shutter, filters, SH sensor, telescope installation monitor, data analysis

University of Tokyo (IPMU, Physics Dept.) CCD readout electronics, data analysis
KEK CCD readout electronics, data analysis
ASIAA, Taiwan Filter exchanger system, optics methodology system
Princeton University (US) Data analysis
   
Hamamatsu Photonics CCD
Canon Lens
Mitsubishi electric Prime Focus Unit, Telescope Modification

HSC Science Collaboration

The survey planning is underway by HSC Science Collaboration in which Japanese, Taiwanese and Princeton astronomers participate. The institute include:
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, University of Tokyo, Nagoya University, Tohoku University, KEK, ASIAA, Princeton University, Ehime University, Kyoto University, ISAS, Kona University, National Central University (Taiwan), Nagasaki University, Kagoshima University, Shinshu University, Tokyo Gakugei University


ドキュメント内遷移