A new image acquisition system for the Kitt Peak National Observatory Mosaic-1 imager

David G Sawyer; Philip N. Daly; Steve B. Howell; Mark R. Hunten; Heidi Schweiker

doi:10.1117/12.857619

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19 July 2010 A new image acquisition system for the Kitt Peak National Observatory Mosaic-1 imager

David G Sawyer, Philip N. Daly, Steve B. Howell, Mark R. Hunten, Heidi Schweiker

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Proceedings Volume 7735, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy III; 77353A (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857619
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

A project is currently underway to upgrade the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) Mosaic-1 Imager, an 8192 x 8192 pixel CCD array used on the Mayall 4-meter and WIYN 0.9-meter telescopes. Mosaic-1 has been a heavily subscribed instrument by the US astronomical community since it was commissioned more than a decade ago. In recent years, however, the reliability and efficiency of Mosaic-1 has declined due to aging and failing components. In addition, servicing has become more and more difficult as spare parts are used up, replacement parts become unavailable, and technical expertise for the out-dated controller technology diminishes. The Mosaic-1 upgrade project addresses these reliability and servicing concerns by replacing the CCDs with modern detectors and replacing the controllers with a MONSOON image acquisition system. The upgrade will also enhance the scientific productivity of the instrument through reduced read times, lower read noise, and improved quantum efficiency. We will describe the project status, the technical requirements related to the installation of new CCD detectors and MONSOON controllers, the configuration of the system, and integration of the system into the existing instrument and telescope environments.

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David G Sawyer, Philip N. Daly, Steve B. Howell, Mark R. Hunten, and Heidi Schweiker "A new image acquisition system for the Kitt Peak National Observatory Mosaic-1 imager", Proc. SPIE 7735, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy III, 77353A (19 July 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857619

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