High-resolution fibre-fed echelle spectrograph for the Southern African Large Telescope

Stuart I. Barnes; John B. Hearnshaw; Peter Cottrell; M. D. Albrow; Graeme Kershaw

doi:10.1117/12.460912

7 March 2003 High resolution fiber-fed echelle spectrograph for the Southern African Large Telescope

Stuart I. Barnes, John B. Hearnshaw, Peter Cottrell, M. D. Albrow, Graeme Kershaw

Proceedings Volume 4841, Instrument Design and Performance for Optical/Infrared Ground-based Telescopes; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460912
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

The design of the Canterbury Extremely Large Echelle Spectrograph on the Telescope In Africa (CELESTIA) is currently in progress. This high-resolution fiber-fed echelle spectrograph will be used with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) which is currently under construction at the South African Astronomical Observatory, near Sutherland, South Africa. CELESTIA uses a mechanically aligned mosaic of two 304 x 408-mm echelle gratings, and cross-dispersion is achieved using two large prisms in double-pass. An extremely fast (f/0.65 in white light, f/2.2 in monochromatic light) camera with all-spherical surfaces based on the design of Epps and Vogt for Keck HIRES has been adapted for this spectrograph. The dispersive elements of CELESTIA may be placed in a helium-filled chamber with the first element of the camera serving as an optical window. A range of resolving powers from 23000 to 100000 will be possible with fibers having diameters of 300 to 400 μm and various combinations of fiber-exit micro-slits. It is possible to image the spectrum of a second object, the sky, or a calibration lamp at most resolving powers. Complete spectral coverage from 380 nm to 670 nm, and nearly complete coverage to 880 nm is possible with a mosaic of two 30.7 x 61.4-mm detectors. Some details of the expected performance of CELESTIA are presented. It is expected that the spectrograph will have a maximum efficiency of approximately 20%, not accounting for the atmosphere or telescope. This compares favorably with other existing spectrographs designed for large telescopes.

Citation Download Citation

Stuart I. Barnes, John B. Hearnshaw, Peter Cottrell, M. D. Albrow, and Graeme Kershaw "High resolution fiber-fed echelle spectrograph for the Southern African Large Telescope", Proc. SPIE 4841, Instrument Design and Performance for Optical/Infrared Ground-based Telescopes, (7 March 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460912

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