CIRSI is a panoramic
wide field near infrared imaging camera which uses 4 Rockwell HgCdTe 1024x1024
detectors. The survey instrument is as scientifically versatile and as
easy to use as a large format CCD camera and was first used on the INT
in December 1997. It is particularly well-suited for surveys of star-forming
regions, low mass stars, distant galaxies, clusters and QSOs. The CIRSI
Project team consists of Dr Martin Beckett (Project Engineer), Dr Richard
McMahon (Project Scientist), Dr Craig D Mackay (Project Manager), Mr Michael
Hoenig (Graduate Student) with additional support from the rest of the
Instrumentation Group at the IoA and many others.
The rich cluster
of galaxies Abell 2219 (z=0.228) is a massive gravitational lens. This
picture shows a 3 colour image of the galaxy cluster based on a 2.5 hour
H band exposure obtained with CIRSI combined with B and I band optical
CCD images. This image was obtained on the 4.2m William Herschel Telescope
in June 1998. It reveals evidence for lensed features. The observations
are being used to trace the dark matter distribution within the cluster
The field of view is 4.8 arcminx4.8arcmin and the measured seeing in H
band images is 0.7 arcseconds (this image is courtesy of Richard McMahon
and Konrad Kuijken). [ GIF ] |