Performance of the main instrument structure and the optical relay system of MUSE

Nicklas, H.; Anwand, H.; Fleischmann, Andreas; Köhler, Christof; Xu, Wei; Seifert, W.; Laurent, Florence

doi:10.1117/12.926023

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…The Instrument Main Structure IMS [6] is the central mechanical link between the UT4-VLT Nasmyth platform and all MUSE optical sub-systems i.e. Splitting and Relay Optics, the 24 IFUs and the Extension Beam where the Fore-Optics and the Calibration Unit are set.…”

Section: Muse Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MUSE alignment onto VLT

et al. 2014

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MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) is a second generation Very Large Telescope (VLT) integral field spectrograph developed for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). It combines a 1' x 1' field of view sampled at 0.2 arcsec for its Wide Field Mode (WFM) and a 7.5"x7.5" field of view for its Narrow Field Mode (NFM). Both modes will operate with the improved spatial resolution provided by GALACSI (Ground Atmospheric Layer Adaptive Optics for Spectroscopic Imaging), that will use the VLT deformable secondary mirror and 4 Laser Guide Stars (LGS) foreseen in 2015. MUSE operates in the visible wavelength range (0.465-0.93 μm). A consortium of seven institutes is currently commissioning MUSE in the Very Large Telescope for the Preliminary Acceptance in Chile, scheduled for September, 2014.MUSE is composed of several subsystems which are under the responsibility of each institute. The Fore Optics derotates and anamorphoses the image at the focal plane. A Splitting and Relay Optics feed the 24 identical Integral Field Units (IFU), that are mounted within a large monolithic structure. Each IFU incorporates an image slicer, a fully refractive spectrograph with VPH-grating and a detector system connected to a global vacuum and cryogenic system. During 2012 and 2013, all MUSE subsystems were integrated, aligned and tested to the P.I. institute at Lyon. After successful PAE in September 2013, MUSE instrument was shipped to the Very Large Telescope in Chile where that was aligned and tested in ESO integration hall at Paranal. After, MUSE was directly transported, fully aligned and without any optomechanical dismounting, onto VLT telescope where the first light was overcame the 7 th of February, 2014. This paper describes the alignment procedure of the whole MUSE instrument with respect to the Very Large Telescope (VLT). It describes how 6 tons could be move with accuracy better than 0.025mm and less than 0.25 arcmin in order to reach alignment requirements. The success of the MUSE alignment is demonstrated by the excellent results obtained onto MUSE image quality and throughput directly onto the sky.

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Section: Muse Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MUSE alignment onto VLT

et al. 2014

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“…MUSE uses complex field microslicers for each spectrograph channel, post field division, yielding a very high spatial sampling that is well-adapted to AO, and with high density of the spectra on the detectors [33]. The alignment and stability required for the MUSE slicer is a tour-de-force [34], but may present challenges to scale-up further. Other complex slicers have been proposed that offer the potential for high efficiency [24], but have not yet been demonstrated on sky.…”

Section: Multiplexing Modesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Replicated spectrographs in astronomy

Hill

2014

Advanced Optical Technologies

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Abstract:As telescope apertures increase, the challenge of scaling spectrographic astronomical instruments becomes acute. The next generation of extremely large telescopes (ELTs) strain the availability of glass blanks for optics and engineering to provide sufficient mechanical stability. While breaking the relationship between telescope diameter and instrument pupil size by adaptive optics is a clear path for small fields of view, survey instruments exploiting multiplex advantages will be pressed to find costeffective solutions. In this review we argue that exploiting the full potential of ELTs will require the barrier of the cost and engineering difficulty of monolithic instruments to be broken by the use of large-scale replication of spectrographs. The first steps in this direction have already been taken with the soon to be commissioned MUSE and VIRUS instruments for the Very Large Telescope and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, respectively. MUSE employs 24 spectrograph channels, while VIRUS has 150 channels. We compare the information gathering power of these replicated instruments with the present state of the art in more traditional spectrographs, and with instruments under development for ELTs. Design principles for replication are explored along with lessons learned, and we look forward to future technologies that could make massivelyreplicated instruments even more compelling.

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