Instrumentation

The Multi-adaptive optics Imaging CAmera for Deep Observations (MICADO) instrument is the first light imager for the 39m diameter ESO Extremely Large Telescope that is currently under construction on Cerro Armazones in Chile.

USM personnel is responsible for the following workpackages:

• Mechanics and Optics: development of the MICADO Main Selection Mechanism, incuding the cold optics allocated in the mechanism (A. Monna, J. Lange, Frank Grupp)
• Software: development of high- and low- level Instrument Control Software (M. Wegner, J. Schlichter) and of the Cryostat Control Software (S. Annadevara, H. Kellermann)
• Electronics: development of 4 (out of 12) Instrument Electronic cabinets (H.J. Hess, H. Kravkar)

Find out more about our work for MICADO.

The NISP (Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer) is one of two instruments aboard the Euclid-Satellite.

In the Euclid-Wide-Survey NISP will cover about 10 square degrees every day. This means in 5-6 days it will cover as much area as the Hubble-Space-Telescope did in it's 30+ year lifetime.

More on the NISP-Instrument:

The K-Band Multi-Object Spectrometer was brought into service at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile in 2015.

USM contributed Instrument software and electronics.

More on KMOS

The FOcal Reducer and low dispersion Spectrograph (FORS) for ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT)

More on FORS

The Wendelstein Wide Field Imager at the 2m-telescope of the Wendelstein observatory - designed and built at USM

Specs of the WWFI

The 3-Kanal-Kamera (3 channel imager) at the 2m-telescope of the Wendelstein observatory - designed and built at USM

Specs of the 3KK