One Degree Imager (ODI)
A rendering of the One Degree Imager mounted on the WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory.
The WIYN One Degree Imager (ODI) is a state-of-the-art wide-field imaging instrument mounted at the f/6.3 Nasmyth port on the WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. With its 40x48-arcminute (0.67x0.75-degree) field of view, ODI can capture an area of the sky two and a half times the size of the full Moon in a single image while resolving objects as small as 0.3 arcseconds (0.000083 degrees) across. This makes it ideal for taking detailed images of large but faint astronomical objects.
ODI utilizes both WIYN's wide field of view and excellent image quality. The image is broken down into individual pixels, each covering 0.11 arcseconds (0.000003056 degrees) of sky. The sharpness of images can be actively improved by correcting images for tip/tilt image motion. ODI is funded by the WIYN partners and the U.S. National Science Foundation.
A wide-view image of the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635), demonstrating the large field of view.
An advantage of the ODI camera is that it is not directly attached to the telescope tube. As the telescope swings across the night sky, the massive 1270-kilogram (2800-pound) camera is permanently and safely mounted at a fixed location at the Nasmyth focus. Here, the camera can accommodate very large special filters that each transmit a very narrow range of color, something that would be difficult for a camera mounted directly on the telescope.
Science Highlights of ODI
Quick Facts
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One Degree Imager (ODI) The technical information for astronomical observations is available at the NOIRLab Science webpage. |
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Site |
Kitt Peak National Observatory |
Telescope |
WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope |
Type |
Imager |
Wavelength range |
320–930 nanometers |
Spatial resolution |
0.11 arcseconds per pixel |
Number of detectors |
30 Orthogonal Transfer Array CCDs |
Detector format |
Each OTA CCD comprises 64 480x496 pixel cells |
Detector total size |
About 480 million pixels |
Spectral resolution |
N/A |
Field of view |
40 x 48 arcminutes (0.67 x 0.75 degrees) |
Filters |
u’, g’, r’, i’, z’, NB422, NB695, NB746, H-alpha |
Date of first light |
July 2015 |
Science goals |
Projects with ODI include surveys of galaxies too distant for their shapes and structure to be discerned, studies of the motions of galaxies, and direct distance measures of stars much fainter than is possible with existing instruments. |
Images taken with the instruments |
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Images of the instrument |
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Videos of the Instrument |
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Press releases with the instrument |