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M. Meixner (STScI), E. B. Churchwell (Univ. of Wisconsin), P. Knezek (WIYN Obs.), D. F. Figer, R. Doering (STScI), R.H. Barkhouser, S. Smee (JHU/IDG)
We present the science case, design overview and sensitivity estimate for the design study for the WIYN High Resolution Infrared Camera (WHIRC). The WIYN telescope is an active 3.5 m telescope located at an excellent seeing site on Kitt Peak and operated by University of Wisconsin, Indiana University, Yale University and National Optical Astronomical Observatory (NOAO). As a dedicated near-infrared (0.8-2.5 micron) camera on the WIYN Tip-Tilt Module (WTTM), WHIRC will provide near diffraction limited imaging, i.e. FWHM~0.25" typically. The optical design goal is to use a 2048x2048 HgCdTe array with a plate scale of ~0.09" per pixel, resulting in a field of view (FOV), ~3'x3', which is a compromise between the highest angular resolution achievable and the largest FOV correctable by WTTM. WHIRC will be a facility instrument at the WIYN telescope enabling a wide range of high definition near-infrared imaging studies such as star formation, proto-planetary disks, galactic dust enshrouded B clusters, dust enshrouded stellar populations in nearby galaxies, and supernova and gamma-ray burst searches. We acknowledge support from the STScI/DDRF.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 5
© 2004. The American Astronomical Society.