Piascik, AS, Steele, IA, Bates, SD, Mottram, CJ, Smith, RJ, Barnsley, RM and Bolton, B (2014) SPRAT: Spectrograph for the Rapid Acquisition of Transients. In: Proceedings of SPIE GROUND-BASED AND AIRBORNE INSTRUMENTATION FOR ASTRONOMY V , 9147. (Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy V, 22 June 2014, Montreal, Quebec).

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Abstract

We describe the development of a low cost, low resolution (R ~ 350), high throughput, long slit spectrograph covering visible (4000-8000) wavelengths. The spectrograph has been developed for fully robotic operation with the Liverpool Telescope (La Palma). The primary aim is to provide rapid spectral classification of faint (V ∼ 20) transient objects detected by projects such as Gaia, iPTF (intermediate Palomar Transient Factory), LOFAR, and a variety of high energy satellites. The design employs a volume phase holographic (VPH) transmission grating as the dispersive element combined with a prism pair (grism) in a linear optical path. One of two peak spectral sensitivities are selectable by rotating the grism. The VPH and prism combination and entrance slit are deployable, and when removed from the beam allow the collimator/camera pair to re-image the target field onto the detector. This mode of operation provides automatic acquisition of the target onto the slit prior to spectrographic observation through World Coordinate System fitting. The selection and characterisation of optical components to maximise photon throughput is described together with performance predictions. © (2014) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Science & Technology; Physical Sciences; Technology; Astronomy & Astrophysics; Instruments & Instrumentation; Optics; robotic telescopes; spectroscopy; spectrographs; transients; astronomical instrumentation; FRODOSPEC; TELESCOPE; SYSTEM; FIELDS
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Astrophysics Research Institute
Publisher:	SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING
Related URLs:	Author
Date Deposited:	20 Apr 2016 08:40
Last Modified:	13 Apr 2022 15:14
DOI or ID number:	10.1117/12.2055117
Editors:	Ramsay, SK, McLean, IS and Takami, H
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/3457

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