Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2004 · 23 citations · 0 references
Natural SciencesAstronomyPhysicsInfrared AstronomyOptical AstronomyOpticsInfrared InstrumentationInfrared TelescopesNear-infrared AstronomyObservatory InstrumentationOptical InstrumentationTelescope OpticsElectronic Thermal DesignInfrared Detector ArraysInfrared Survey TelescopesOptical Telescope SystemsOptical TelescopesPipeline CleaningTelescope Array DesignTelescopes
The NEWFIRM program will provide a widefield IR imaging system optimized for survey programs on the NOAO 4-m telescopes in Arizona and Chile. The camera images a 28 x 28 arcminute field of view over 1-2.4 microns wavelength range with a 4K x 4K pixel array mosaic. We present an overview of camera design features including optics design, manufacture, and mounting; control of internal flexure between input and output focal planes; mosaic array mount design; and thermal design. We also discuss the status of other projects within the program: array control electronics, observation and pipeline reduction software, and production of the science grade array complement. The program is progressing satisfactorily and we expect to deliver the system to the northern 4-m telescope in 2005.