WIYN High-Resolution Infrared Camera (WHIRC)

The WHIRC instrument on the WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory.

The WIYN High-Resolution Infrared Camera (WHIRC) is a near-infrared (0.9–2.5 μm) imager on the WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. It takes advantage of the excellent image quality produced by the telescope and its image stabilization subsystem, the WIYN Tip Tilt Module (WTTM), which is located on one of two Nasmyth ports. The optical system features a five-element collimator with five lenses to align incoming light waves parallel for sharp imaging, and a five-element camera, also with five lenses, to accurately focus the light onto the detector.

WHIRC’s 0.1-arcsecond pixel scale and 3.3-arcminute field of view are designed to take advantage of the excellent seeing conditions at Kitt Peak and the near-diffraction-limited image quality (~0.2 arcseconds) which WTTM is expected to deliver in the 2-micron band. WHIRC is designed to achieve a broad range of scientific goals in stellar physics, star-forming regions, and the interstellar medium in galactic and extragalactic sources.

WHIRC is equipped with two eight-position filter wheels, accommodating a total of 13 filters. Each filter wheel has one open position and one wheel holds an opaque blocker for taking dark frames. The three broadband filters are standard J, H, and Ks filters. Narrowband filters target specific features: He I for H II regions and planetary nebulae, Br γ and Pa β for ionized gas, [Fe II] for photodissociation regions and planetary nebulae, H2S(1) for shocked molecular gas, and CN and CO for cool stellar atmospheres. Additionally, there is a second set of Br γ and [Fe II] that are specially designed to look for those emission lines in redshifted galaxies. Finally, a filter near 1.06 μm is for very low-background deep imaging or as a continuum filter for the He I filter.

Figure 1: Assembly drawing of WHIRC.

Assembly drawing of WHIRC. The shim is used to adjust the axial location of WHIRC so that the WTTM focal plane is imaged onto the detector.

Figure 2: Close up of Figure 1, showing the optical elements in more detail.

Close-up of previous figure showing the optical elements in more detail.

Science Highlights of WHIRC

Quick Facts

  • WHIRC was designed to be mounted on the WIYN Tip/Tilt Module (WTTM) port to take advantage of the excellent native seeing at the WIYN telescope combined with the tip/tilt correction from WTTM
  • The interior of WHIRC’s aluminum cylinder is coated with gold for ultra-high absorption

 

WIYN High-Resolution Infrared Camera (WHIRC)

The technical information for astronomical observations is available at the NOIRLab Science webpage.

Site

Kitt Peak National Observatory

Telescope

WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope

Type

High Resolution Infrared Imager

Wavelength range

900–2500 nm

Spatial resolution

0.0986 arcsec/pixel

Number of detectors

1

Detector format

2048 x 2048 pixels

Field of view

3.3 x 3.4 arcminutes

Filters

J, H, Ks, and 10 narrowband filters

Date of first light 

2008

Science goals

WHIRC is designed to be used for a variety of astronomical studies in the near-infrared, including star-formation regions, high-z galaxies, stellar populations, and interstellar medium in nearby galaxies. With its high spatial resolution and narrowband filters, WHIRC is particularly useful for follow-up observations of objects discovered in large surveys conducted at lower spatial resolution. 

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

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