GRACES: Gemini remote access to CFHT ESPaDOnS spectrograph through the longest astronomical fiber ever made: Experimental phase completed

From National Research Council Canada

DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2057417
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Name affiliation
  1. National Research Council of Canada
  2. National Research Council of Canada. National Science Infrastructure
FormatText, Article
Proceedings titleAdvances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation
Series titleProceedings of SPIE; no. 9151
ConferenceAdvances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation, June 23-27, 2014
ISSN0277-786X
1996-756X
ISBN9780819496195
Article number915147
SubjectFibers; Optical fibers; Spectrographs; Spectroscopic analysis; Spectroscopy; Acquisition time; ESPaDOnS; Focal ratio degradation; High resolution; High-resolution spectroscopy; Optical; Optical regions; Resolution power; Telescopes
Abstract
The Gemini Remote Access to CFHT ESPaDONS Spectrograph has achieved first light of its experimental phase in May 2014. It successfully collected light from the Gemini North telescope and sent it through two 270 m optical fibers to the the ESPaDOnS spectrograph at CFHT to deliver high-resolution spectroscopy across the optical region. The fibers gave an average focal ratio degradation of 14% on sky, and a maximum transmittance of 85% at 800nm. GRACES achieved delivering spectra with a resolution power of R = 40,000 and R = 66,000 between 400 and 1,000 nm. It has a ∼8% throughput and is sensitive to target fainter than 21st mag in 1 hour. The average acquisition time of a target is around 10 min. This project is a great example of a productive collaboration between two observatories on Maunakea that was successful due to the reciprocal involvement of the Gemini, CFHT, and NRC Herzberg teams, and all the staff involved closely or indirectly.
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PublisherSPIE
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
NPARC number21275507
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Record identifier4ce68582-e574-4ab4-853c-37f1b1e22367
Record created2015-07-14
Record modified2020-04-22
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