Available Instruments

The list below is taken from the latest Call for Proposals.

The list of available facilities through NOIRLab can be found here.

 


Parameter space for NOIRLab spectrographs (left) and imagers (right) on 3-meter and larger apertures in the 2020–2025 period. The upper panel shows regions of parameter space best suited to particular science areas. The lower panel shows capabilities for NOIRLab instruments. For the spectrographs we plot spectral resolution vs. wavelength coverage, for the imagers we plot field of view vs. image size. Visible imagers are shown in blue, IR imagers (AO assisted in some cases) in red. DESI is included in the imagers for its wide patrol field.

 

Gemini-North

GMOS-N: Gemini Optical Imager, Multi-Object Spectrograph and IFU

https://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gmos/ 

Note that the R600 grating is not available in 2023A.
The new B480 grating is available.

GNIRS: Gemini Near Infra-Red Spectrograph 

http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gnirs/ 

As before, the short red camera is NOT available. YJHK imaging is available via the acquisition keyhole. A new low-resolution IFUs is being commissioned and will be offered for Fast Turnaround proposals only in semester 2023B.

GNIRS + Altair: Gemini Near Infra-Red Spectrograph with AO system (Altair).

http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/altair/

http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gnirs/

NIFS: Near-IR IFU Spectrograph

https://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/nifs/

Available with or without AO capability. This instrument shares a port with NIRI and MAROON-X, hence it will only be available during specific blocks. NIFS is expected to be scheduled for two or three approximately one-month-long blocks during the semester. If the GNIRS IFUs are successfully commissioned in 2022, semester 2023B may be the last B semester where NIFS is offered.
NIFS + Altair: Near-IR IFU Spectrograph with AO system (Altair).
NIRI + Altair: Near-IR Imager with AO system (Altair).
'Alopeke: Speckle Camera (visiting instrument)
A dual-channel fast-readout visual-wavelength camera giving simultaneous diffraction-limited images in two filters over a 2.8 arcsec field of view; as well as a wide-field mode which provides simultaneous two-color imaging in standard SDSS filters over a 60" field of view. The scheduling and length of the Alopeke visiting block(s) will be subject to community demand. Targets of Opportunity (Rapid or Standard) are accepted for Alopeke, but will only be executed during the instrument blocks.
MAROON-X: Precision Radial-Velocity High-Reolution Spectrograph (visiting instrument)
A high-resolution (R~80,000), optical (500 - 900nm) radial velocity (RV) spectrometer, is open to the community for high precision RV studies as well as general purpose high-resolution spectroscopy. Please use the Maroon-X Exposure Time Calculator to evaluate the instrument performance. This instrument shares a port with NIFS and NIRI, hence it will only be available during specific blocks. MAROON-X is expected to be scheduled for two or three approximately one-month-long blocks during the semester.

Gemini-South

FLAMINGOS-2: Near-Infrared Wide Field Imager and Spectrometer (imaging, longslit, and MOS modes)
Offered in imaging, long-slit and MOS modes throughout the semester. The multi-object spectroscopy (MOS) mode allows simultaneous observation of up to 150 targets per mask over an area of 6'x2'.
GMOS-S: Gemini Optical Imager, Multi-Object Spectrograph and IFU
GMOS-S is expected to be available with a replaced detector from June 2023 onwards, but prospective PIs should check the instrument web pages for updates (/news/instrument-announcements/gmos) on availability.
The noise problem on CCD-2 persists,as of August 2022; users are advised to dither or to place targets or spectral features on other parts of the detector. GMOS South may be removed for extensive engineering in the April to May 2023 period, to address this issue. In that case the instrument will not be available, and there will be reduced access to GMOS targets in the RA range of 8 to 12. Prospective users should check the instrument page for updates. The R600 grating is not available, however the new B480 grating is available, in 23A.
GSAOI/GeMS: Gemini Adaptive Optics Imager with Multi-Conjugate AO System
With the GeMS Adaptive Optics system: due to guide star limitations, investigators must check the availability of Guide Star constellations using the Observing Tool before submitting a proposal. Observations in IQ85 are possible for programs that can use delivered images with full-width half-maximum of ~0.2 arcseconds as opposed to the ≤ 0.1 arcseconds delivered in IQ70 or IQ20 conditions. Observations under non-photometric conditions with 0.1 mag uniform extinction are also possible under very good IQ conditions. The expectation is to have two or three laser runs of 7 nights each during the semester, the actual schedule will be based on the demand from the community.
Zorro: Speckle Camera (visiting Instrument)
A dual-channel fast-readout visual-wavelength camera giving simultaneous diffraction-limited images in two filters over a 2.8 arcsec field of view; as well as a wide-field mode which provides simultaneous two-color imaging in standard SDSS filters over a 60" field of view. The scheduling and length of the Zorro visiting block(s) will be subject to community demand. Targets of Opportunity (Rapid or Standard) are accepted for Zorro, but will only be executed during the instrument blocks.
IGRINS: High-Resolution Near-IR Cross-Dispersed Echelle Spectrometer (visiting instrument)
A high-resolution (R~45000), single-setting, near IR (1.45 - 2.5 microns) echelle spectrometer, will be available throughout the semester except for two weeks before and during the 7-night GeMS/GSAOI runs. See the IGRINS at Gemini page for important information about writing IGRINS proposals.

Subaru (Gemini Exchange time)

AO 188 (Subaru 188-element Adaptive Optics system) is available in Natural Guide Star mode and Laser Guide Star mode.
FOCAS: Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph; is available.
HDS: High Dispersion Spectrograph (optical) is available.
HSC: will have a maximum of four observing runs between March and June. Some filters require permission for use, prospective users should check the HSC web page. Important notice for HSC filters: all applicants must explicitly describe the filters they intend to use, in their proposal. The desired set as well as the minimum acceptable set should be clearly specified.
MOIRCS (Multi-Object Infrared Camera and Spectrograph): is back online, possibly in shared-risk mode.
IRCS: IR Camera and Spectrograph: all polarimetry mode of IRCS is open as a shared-risk mode.
IRCS+AO188: IRCS + Natural Guide Star AO. The polarimetry mode is a shared-risk mode.

Visiting Instruments on Subaru offered in 202 (limited to one or two runs). Proposals to use visiting instruments must include the instrument PIs as Co-investigators.

CHARIS : Coronagraphic High Angular Resolution Imaging Spectrograph - provides high contrast images of exoplanets, disks, brown dwarfs with SCExAO+AO188. https://scholar.princeton.edu/charis

Fast PDI : (in shared-risk mode): polarization differential imaging (PDI) with a high speed (>kHz) near-IR (950 - 1860 nm) low-noise camera (C-RED One), optimized for high contrast imaging of circumstellar disks with SCExAO+AO188. 

IRD - Infrared Doppler: (in shared-risk mode): infrared high-dispersion, high resolution (up to 70,000) fiber-fed spectrometer. IRD SSP is started in 2019A – any IRD proposal must clarify how its scientific aim is different from SSP. The observing mode REACH (SCExAO+IRD), is available.

MEC (in shared-risk mode): the MKID Exoplanet Camera is a near-IR (800-1400nm) photon-counting low-resolution (R~5) integral field spectrograph optimized for high contrast imaging with SCExAO+AO188.

VAMPIRES : The Visible Aperture Masking Polarimetric Imager for Resolved Exoplanetary Strucutres is a visible light instrument on the SCExAO system. https://www.naoj.org/Projects/SCEXAO/scexaoWEB/030openuse.web/040vampires.web/indexm.html

NsIR Wave Plate Unit:  for IRCS/SCExAO polarimetry mode. 

Keck I

HIRES

LRIS

MOSFIRE

OSIRIS 

Keck II

DEIMOS

ESI

KCWI

NIRES

NIRC2

https://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/inst/index.php

Magellan I (Baade)

IMACS: 

FIRE: http://web.mit.edu/~rsimcoe/www/FIRE/

MagE:

FourStar:

Magellan II (Clay)

MIKE:

LDSS:

https://obs.carnegiescience.edu/astronomers

CTIO 4m Blanco

DECam: Wide-Field Optical Imager
COSMOS: CTIO Ohio State Multi-Object Spectrograph

SOAR 4m

Goodman: Goodman Spectrograph
SOI: SOAR Optical Imager
TripleSpec4.1 (ex-ARCOIRIS): Cross-dispersed, single-object, longslit, IR imaging spectrograph
Spartan: Spartan IR Imager
SAM: SOAR Adaptive Module
SIFS: SOAR Integral-Unit Spectrograph

WIYN 3.5m

NEID: NN-EXPLORE Exoplanet Investigations with Doppler spectroscopy, precision RV spectrograph
ODI: One Degree Imager (40' x 48' focal plane)
HYDRB: Hydra + Bench Spectrograph + STA1 CCD, Blue camera
HYDRR: Hydra + Bench Spectrograph + STA1 CCD, Red camera
SPSPKB: SparsePak Fiber Array + Bench Spectrograph + STA1 CCD, Blue camera
SPSPKR: SparsePak Fiber Array + Bench Spectrograph + STA1 CCD, Red camera
WHIRC: WIYN High Resolution IR Camera
GRDPK: GradPak IFU
HEXPK: HexPak IFU
NESSI: NASA Exoplanet Star (and) Speckle Imager

CHARA

CLASSIC: IR (H or K) Imaging
CLIMB: IR (H or K) Imaging
MIRC-X/MYSTIC: Low-resolution H-band Spectroscopy
PAVO: Low-resolution Optical Spectroscopy

LCO-2m Global Network

Spectral: Optical Imager
FLOYDS: Cross-dispersed Low-resolution Spectrograph

MuSCAT3: Four-channel simultaneous imager https://lco.global/observatory/instruments/muscat3/

LCO-1m Global Network

Sinistro: Optical Imager
NRES: High-resolution Fiber-fed Echelle Spectrograph

SMARTS 1.5m

CHIRON: High-resolution Fiber-fed Cross-dispersed Echelle Spectrograph for Precision RV

SMARTS 0.9m

CFIM+T2K: Cass Direct + SITe 2K CCD

WIYN 0.9m

HDI: Half-Degree Imager

5. How to Acknowledge Use of NSF's NOIRLab Facilities

There are a variety of credit lines which are appropriate for citing the use of data from one or more of the NOIRLab facilities. Please acknowledge the proper observatories by using the appropriate credit line as described in the following link:

https://noirlab.edu/public/research/scientific-acknowledgments/

Updated on April 18, 2024, 10:16 am