CIRCE: The Canarias InfraRed Camera Experiment for the Gran Telescopio Canarias

DOI: 
10.1142/S2251171718500022
Publication date: 
01/01/2018
Main author: 
Eikenberry, Stephen S.
IAA authors: 
Castro-Tirado, A. J.
Authors: 
Eikenberry, Stephen S.;Charcos, Miguel;Edwards, Michelle L.;Garner, Alan;Lasso-Cabrera, Nestor;Stelter, Richard D.;Marin-Franch, Antonio;Raines, S. Nicholas;Ackley, Kendall;Bennett, John G.;Cenarro, Javier A.;Chinn, Brian;Donoso, H. Veronica;Frommeyer, Raymond;Hanna, Kevin;Herlevich, Michael D.;Julian, Jeff;Miller, Paola;Mullin, Scott;Murphey, Charles H.;Packham, Chris;Varosi, Frank;Vega, Claudia;Warner, Craig;Ramaprakash, A. N.;Burse, Mahesh;Punnadi, Sunjit;Chordia, Pravin;Gerarts, Andreas;Martín, Héctor De Paz;Calero, María Martín;Scarpa, Riccardo;Acosta, Sergio Fernandez;Sánchez, William Miguel Hernández;Siegel, Benjamin;Pérez, Francisco Francisco;Martín, Himar D. Viera;Losada, José A. Rodríguez;Nuñez, Agustín;Tejero, Álvaro;González, Carlos E. Martín;Rodríguez, César Cabrera;Sendra, Jordi Molgó;Rodriguez, J. Esteban;Cáceres, J. Israel Fernádez;García, Luis A. Rodríguez;Lopez, Manuel Huertas;Dominguez, Raul;Gaggstatter, Tim;Lavers, Antonio Cabrera;Geier, Stefan;Pessev, Peter;Sarajedini, Ata;Castro-Tirado, A. J.
Journal: 
Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation
Publication type: 
Article
Volume: 
7
Pages: 
1850002-264
Abstract: 
The Canarias InfraRed Camera Experiment (CIRCE) is a near-infrared (1-2.5μm) imager, polarimeter and low-resolution spectrograph operating as a visitor instrument for the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) 10.4-m telescope. It was designed and built largely by graduate students and postdocs, with help from the University of Florida (UF) astronomy engineering group, and is funded by the UF and the US National Science Foundation. CIRCE is intended to help fill the gap in near-infrared capabilities prior to the arrival of Especrografo Multiobjecto Infra-Rojo (EMIR) to the GTC and will also provide the following scientific capabilities to compliment EMIR after its arrival: high-resolution imaging, narrowband imaging, high-time-resolution photometry, imaging polarimetry, and low resolution spectroscopy. In this paper, we review the design, fabrication, integration, lab testing, and on-sky performance results for CIRCE. These include a novel approach to the opto-mechanical design, fabrication, and alignment.
Database: 
ADS
SCOPUS
URL: 
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#abs/2018JAI.....750002E/abstract
ADS Bibcode: 
2018JAI.....750002E
Keywords: 
Near-infrared;imaging;diamond-turned optics;polarimetry;Gran Telescopio Canarias;Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics