SpeX: A Medium‐Resolution 0.8–5.5 Micron Spectrograph and Imager for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility

2003/03/01 by John Rayner, J. T. Rayner, D. W. Toomey +12 · 1,262 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Adaptive optics and wavefront sensing #Astronomy #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Field of view #Geology #Infrared #Infrared telescope #Near-infrared spectroscopy #Occultation #Optics #Physics #Pixel #Prism #Remote sensing #Spectrograph #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Telescope

paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/367745

published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 115(805), 362-382 (Institute of Physics)

openalex publication_date 2003/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

We present the design, construction, and performance of SpeX, a medium‐resolution 0.8–5.5 μm cryogenic spectrograph and imager, now in operation at the 3.0 m NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea. The design uses prism cross‐dispersers and gratings to provide resolving powers up to R∼2000 simultaneously across 0.8–2.4, 1.9–4.2, or 2.4–5.5 μm, with a 15 '' long slit. A high‐throughput low‐resolution R∼200 prism mode is also provided for faint‐object and occultation spectroscopy. Single‐order 60 '' long‐slit modes with resolving powers up to R∼2000 are available for extended objects. The spectrograph employs an Aladdin 3 1024 × 1024 InSb array and uses narrow slits and a spatial scale of 0 15 pixel -1 for optimum sensitivity on point sources. An autonomous infrared slit viewer is used for object acquisition, infrared guiding, and scientific imaging in the wavelength range 0.8–5.5 μm. The imager employs an Aladdin 2 512 × 512 InSb array that covers a 60 '' × 60 '' field of view at 0 12 pixel -1 . SpeX was successfully commissioned on IRTF during 2000 May, June, and July. Astronomical observations are presented to illustrate performance.

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