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Astronomical instrumentation worldwide


Click on the instrument name for more information, click on the penultimate column for advice about submitting proposals. Check the observatory web pages (first column) for the latest on instrument availability.

The Mobj column documents multi-object capability: MS then number of slits, F then number of fibres, or IF = integral-field unit (with number of lenslets, if any).

This list was last updated 2004.

This test version lists common-user optical, near-IR and mid-IR instruments offered at KeckI/II, HET, Subaru, VLT1/2/3/4, GeminiN/S, MMT, Baade/Clay (Magellan), Palomar 5-m, WHT, CTIO 4-m, AAT, KPNO 3.8-m, UKIRT, ESO 3.6-m, CFHT, WIYN, ARC, Calar Alto 3.5-m, NTT, TNG, and the smaller La Palma telescopes (INT, JKT, NOT). Please send comments to crb@ing.iac.es

Low- and medium-resolution optical spectrographs
Telescope D/m Instrument Min R Max R Field Mobj Who can apply Notes
KeckII
9.8
DEIMOS

5000
20'
MS85
UCal, Caltech, UHaw

KeckII
9.8
ESI
1000
6000
2x8'
MS
UCal, Caltech, UHaw

KeckII
9.8
LRIS
300
5000
6x7.8'

UCal, Caltech, UHaw

HET
9.2
LRS
60
1300
4'

HET partners (5 univ) , NOAO

Subaru
8.3
FOCAS
250
2000
6'
M100
JP, all

VLT1
8.2
FORS1
300
1000
7'
MS9
ESO, Chile

VLT2
8.2
FORS2
300
2000
7'
MS9
ESO, Chile

VLT2
8.2
FLAMES
7500
25000
25'
F130
ESO, Chile
Not yet available
VLT3
8.2
VIMOS
300
2000
7x7x4'
MS750
ESO, Chile
Not yet available
GeminiN
8.1
GMOS
700
4400
5.5'
MS100s
US UK CA AU BR AR CL

GeminiS
8.1
GMOS
700
4400
5.5'
MS100s
US UK CA AU BR AR CL
From 2003
MMT
6.5
MMT Spec
3000
8000


Arizona, CfA?

Baade
6.5
IMACS
2000
21000
24'

Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile
From 2003
Baade
6.5
B&C
800
3000
75"

Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile
From 2003
Baade
6.5
LDSS2
200
1000
7.5'
MS
Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile

Clay
6.5
MIKE
9000
25000
5"
F256
Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile
From 2003
Hale5
5.1
DoubleSpec
1000
10000
2.2'
MS8
Caltech, JPL, NASA

Hale5
5.1
NorrisSpec
1000
4000
20'
F150
Caltech, JPL, NASA

Hale5
5.1
COSMIC
600
1200
9.7'

Caltech, JPL, NASA

WHT
4.2
ISIS
900
13000
4.0'

UK ES NL EU

WHT
4.2
AF2
1000
8000
40'
F120
UK ES NL EU

WHT
4.2
INTEGRAL
100
6000
30"
IF
UK ES NL EU

WHT
4.2
OASIS

3400
45"
IF1100
UK ES NL EU
AO; Commissioning 2003
CTIO4
4.0
R-C SPEC
1200
5000
5'

US, all

CTIO4
4.0
Hydra CTIO


40'
F138
US, all

AAT
3.9
2dF


120'
F400
AU UK

AAT
3.9
RGOspec
850
12000


AU UK

AAT
3.9
TAURUS




AU UK

AAT
3.9
SPIRAL
1200
11000
22x11"
IF 512
AU UK

KPNO4
3.8
R-C CCD
300
5000
5.4'
MS
US, all

KPNO4
3.8
MARS
400
1100
5'
MS
US, all

ESO4
3.6
EFOSC-2
100
1000
5'
MS
ESO, Chile

CFHT
3.6
MOS


10x10'
MS10s
CA FR US

CFHT
3.6
OSIS




CA FR US

CFHT
3.6
FTS




CA FR US

WIYN
3.5
Hydra
700
22000
60'
F100
US, all

WIYN
3.5
DensePak
700
22000
45"
IF90
US, all

Calar4
3.5
TWIN
3000
14000
4'

DE ES all

Calar4
3.5
PMAS
1500
6000
8"
IF
DE ES all

Calar4
3.5
MOSCA4


11'
MS
DE ES all

NTT
3.5
EMMI
280
70000
9'

ESO, Chile

ARC
3.5
DIS II
700
6000


??

TNG
3.5
DOLORES
300
3000
9.4'
MS
IT ES UK EU all

INT
2.5
IDS
500
15000
4.0'

UK ES NL EU
N/A after Jul 2003
NOT
2.6
ALFOSC
700
4300

MS
DE FI IS NO SE EU all

NOT
2.6
SOFIN




DE FI IS NO SE EU all

High-resolution optical spectrographs
Telescope D/m Instrument Min R Max R Field Mobj Who can apply Notes
KeckI
9.8
HIRES
30000
80000


UCal, Caltech, UHaw

HET
9.2
HRS
15000
120000


HET partners (5 univ) , NOAO

Subaru
8.3
HDS

160000
60"

JP, all

VLT2
8.2
UVES
40000
100000

F8
ESO, Chile

GeminiS
8.1
bHROS
150000

3, 7"

US UK CA AU BR AR CL
Not yet available
WHT
4.2
UES
40000
80000
5.0'

UK ES NL EU
Retired Jul 2002
CTIO4
4.0
Echelle
50000



US, all

AAT
3.9
UCLES
100000



AU UK

AAT
3.9
UHRF
300000
940000
1.5"

AU UK

KPNO4
3.8
Echelle
18000
65000
2'

US, all

ESO4
3.6
CES
220000
235000


ESO, Chile

ESO4
3.6
HARPS
120000
120000
1"

ESO, Chile

CFHT
3.6
Gecko

120000


CA FR US

ARC
3.5
Echelle
38000
38000


??

TNG
3.5
SARG
29000
164000
30"

IT ES UK EU all

Optical imagers
Telescope D/m Instrument Field Who can apply Notes
KeckII
9.80
DEIMOS
20'
UCal, Caltech, UHaw

KeckII
9.80
ESI
2x8'
UCal, Caltech, UHaw

KeckII
9.80
LRIS
6x7.8'
UCal, Caltech, UHaw

Subaru
8.30
SUPRIME
30'
JP, all

VLT1
8.20
FORS1
7'
ESO, Chile

VLT2
8.20
FORS2
7'
ESO, Chile

GeminiN
8.10
GMOS
5.5'
US UK CA AU BR AR CL

GeminiS
8.10
GMOS
5.5'
US UK CA AU BR AR CL
From 2003
MMT
6.50
Minicam
3'
Arizona, CfA?

Baade
6.50
IMACS
24'
Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile
From 2003
Baade
6.50
B&C
75"
Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile
From 2003
Baade
6.50
LDSS2
7.5'
Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile

Baade
6.50
MagIC

Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile

Clay
6.50
MIKE
5"
Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile
From 2003
Hale5
5.10
COSMIC
9.7'
Caltech, JPL, NASA

Hale5
5.10
LFC
24'
Caltech, JPL, NASA

WHT
4.20
PF imager
16'
UK ES NL EU

WHT
4.20
Aux-port
1.8'
UK ES NL EU

WHT
4.20
OASIS
45"
UK ES NL EU
AO; Commissioning 2003
CTIO4
4.00
MOSAICII
35'
US, all

AAT
3.90
WFI
33'
AU UK

KPNO4
3.80
MOSA
35.4'
US, all

ESO4
3.60
EFOSC-2
5'
ESO, Chile

ESO4
3.60
HARPS
1"
ESO, Chile

CFHT
3.60
Megacam
72'
CA FR US

CFHT
3.60
FOCAM
7'
CA FR US

CFHT
3.60
MOS
10x10'
CA FR US

CFHT
3.60
OSIS

CA FR US

WIYN
3.50
MIMO
9.5'
US, all

WIYN
3.50
WTTM
4.6'
US, all
Tip-tilt
Calar4
3.50
MOSCA4
11'
DE ES all

Calar4
3.50
LAICA
44.4'
DE ES all

NTT
3.50
EMMI
9'
ESO, Chile

NTT
3.50
SuSI2
5.5'
ESO, Chile

ARC
3.50
DIS II

??

ARC
3.50
SPIcam
4.8'
??

TNG
3.50
OIG
4.9'
IT ES EU all

INT
2.50
WFC
34'
UK ES NL EU

NOT
2.60
ALFOSC

DE FI IS NO SE EU all

NOT
2.60
MOSAIC
7.7'
DE FI IS NO SE EU all

NOT
2.60
StanCam

DE FI IS NO SE EU all

JKT
1.00
JKT CCD

UK ES NL EU
N/A after Jul 2003

Near-IR spectrographs
Telescope D/m Instrument Min R Max R Field Mobj Who can apply Notes
KeckI
9.8
NIRC2

5000
10,20,40"

UCal, Caltech, UHaw
AO
KeckII
9.8
NIRSPEC
2000
25000
42"

UCal, Caltech, UHaw
AO
HET
9.2
JCAM
5500
11000


HET partners (5 univ) , NOAO

Subaru
8.3
IRCS
100
2000
60"

JP, all

Subaru
8.3
CISCO/OHS


2'

JP, all

VLT1
8.2
ISAAC
500
3000


ESO, Chile

VLT1
8.2
CRIRES

100000
50"

ESO, Chile
Not yet available
VLT4
8.2
SINFONI

5000


ESO, Chile
Not yet available
VLT4
8.2
NIRMOS
2000



ESO, Chile
Not yet available
VLT4
8.2
NAOS
400
1500
56"

ESO, Chile
AO
GeminiN
8.1
NIFS
5000

3"
IF
US UK CA AU BR AR CL
Not yet available
GeminiN
8.1
NIRI
400
1700
30,50,120

US UK CA AU BR AR CL

GeminiS
8.1
FlamingosI
350
2400
2.6'
MS100
US UK CA AU BR AR CL

GeminiS
8.1
GNIRS
600
18000

IF
US UK CA AU BR AR CL
Not yet available
GeminiS
8.1
Phoenix
50000
75000
14"

US UK CA AU BR AR CL

GeminiS
8.1
CIRPASS
3000


IF490
US UK CA AU BR AR CL

MMT
6.5
Flamingos2

1000
6.8'
MS
Arizona, CfA?
Available ~ 2004
Hale5
5.1
Pharo

1500
25,40"

Caltech, JPL, NASA
AO
WHT
4.2
LIRIS
1000
3000
4.2'
MS10
UK ES NL EU
Commissioning 2003
CTIO4
4.0
OSIRIS
1200
3000
3.5'

US, all
Tip-tilt
AAT
3.9
IRIS2
1500
2500
8'

AU UK

KPNO4
3.8
FLAMINGO
1000
3000
10'
MS
US, all

UKIRT
3.8
UIST
1500
3500
1,2'
+IF
UK

UKIRT
3.8
CGS4
500
8500


UK

CFHT
3.6
OSIS-IR




CA FR US

CFHT
3.6
GriF


36"

CA FR US

Calar4
3.5
OMEGACass
6000



DE ES all

NTT
3.5
SofI
600
1200
5.5'

ESO, Chile

ARC
3.5
GRIM II
200
800


??

ARC
3.5
NIC-FPS
10000
10000
4.6'

??

TNG
3.5
NICS
50
2500
4.2'

IT ES UK EU all

Near-IR imagers
Telescope D/m Instrument Field Who can apply Notes
KeckI
9.80
NIRC2
10,20,40"
UCal, Caltech, UHaw
AO
Subaru
8.30
IRCS
60"
JP, all

Subaru
8.30
CIAO
22"
JP, all

VLT4
8.20
NAOS
56"
ESO, Chile
AO
GeminiN
8.10
Altair

US UK CA AU BR AR CL
AO; Not yet available
GeminiN
8.10
NIRI
30,50,120
US UK CA AU BR AR CL

GeminiS
8.10
FlamingosI
2.6'
US UK CA AU BR AR CL

GeminiS
8.10
GNIRS

US UK CA AU BR AR CL
Not yet available
GeminiS
8.10
NICI

US UK CA AU BR AR CL
Not yet available
MMT
6.50
Flamingos2
6.8'
Arizona, CfA?
Available ~ 2004
Baade
6.50
PANIC
2'
Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile

Baade
6.50
WIRC
7'
Carnegie, 4 univs, Chile

Hale5
5.10
Pharo
25,40"
Caltech, JPL, NASA
AO
Hale5
5.10
WIRC
9'
Caltech, JPL, NASA

WHT
4.20
INGRID
4.3'
UK ES NL EU

WHT
4.20
LIRIS
4.2'
UK ES NL EU
Commissioning 2003
WHT
4.20
NAOMI
40"
UK ES NL EU
AO, + coron. OSCA
CTIO4
4.00
ISPI
11'
US, all

CTIO4
4.00
OSIRIS
3.5'
US, all
Tip-tilt
AAT
3.90
IRIS2
8'
AU UK

KPNO4
3.80
FLAMINGO
10'
US, all

KPNO4
3.80
SQUID
200"
US, all

ESO4
3.60
ADONIS

ESO, Chile
AO, decomm.
UKIRT
3.80
UIST
1,2'
UK

UKIRT
3.80
IRCAM
20.8"
UK

UKIRT
3.80
UFTI
92"
UK

CFHT
3.60
PUEO/KIR
36"
CA FR US
AO
CFHT
3.60
CFHT-IR
3.6'
CA FR US

CFHT
3.60
OSIS-IR

CA FR US

Calar4
3.50
OMEGAPrime
6.8'
DE ES all

Calar4
3.50
ALFA

DE ES all
AO
NTT
3.50
SofI
5.5'
ESO, Chile

ARC
3.50
GRIM II

??

ARC
3.50
NIC-FPS
4.6'
??

TNG
3.50
NICS
4.2'
IT ES UK EU all

TNG
3.50
ADOPT

IT ES EU all
AO
NOT
2.60
NOTCAM
4x4'
DE FI IS NO SE EU all

Mid-IR instruments
Telescope D/m Instrument Min R Max R Field Mobj Who can apply Notes
KeckI
9.8
LWS
100
1400
10x10"

UCal, Caltech, UHaw

Subaru
8.3
COMICS
250
8500
40x30"

JP, all

VLT3
8.2
VISIR
300
30000


ESO, Chile
Not yet available
GeminiN
8.1
Michelle
200
30000


US UK CA AU BR AR CL

GeminiS
8.1
T-ReCS
1000
1050
28"

US UK CA AU BR AR CL

Hale5
5.1
SpectroCam
100
2000


Caltech, JPL, NASA

ESO4
3.6
TIMMI2
130
160
50"

ESO, Chile

UKIRT
3.8
Michelle




UK

Proposal deadlines
Observatory Deadlines
ING (WHT, INT, JKT) Mar 15, Sep 15 (Jun 30 for ITP Feb - Jan)
NOT May 1, Nov 1
Calar Alto Mar 15, Sep 15
ESO (La Silla + VLT) Apr 1, Oct 1
Gemin N + S Mar 31, Sep 30 for US, UK, CA, AU
AAO, UKIRT Mar 15, Sep 15
CFHT Mar 1, Sep 1
KPNO, WIYN, CTIO Mar 31, Sep 30
Keck Mar, Sep (dates depend on user inst.)
HET mid-Feb, mid-Jun and mid-Oct (HET partners)
Subaru Apr 30?, Oct 31
Las Campanas (Magellan, du Pont etc.) Apr?, Oct 15


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Contact:  (WHT Manager)
Last modified: 18 December 2010