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Phoenix is a high spectral resolution
(R~50000 - 75000) near-IR (1-5µm) spectrometer built by
NOAO and previously used on the Kitt Peak National Observatory
2m and 4m telescopes. Phoenix will be shared between SOAR and
Gemini-South, where its has been in service for two years.
The instrument covers the wavelength range of 1 to 5µm with a 0.51% (1500 km/s) wavelength coverage. The slit length is 14", and the available slits are 2, 3 and 4 pixel wide, plus an open slot (no slit) and a 2 pixel pin hole. The slit width and resolution are 0.17" and R ~ 75000, for the 2 pixel slit; 0.35" and R ~ 40000 for the 4 pixel slit. An order sorting filter is used to select a single order of the echelle. No cross dispersor is available. Based on scaling measured performance from Gemini South it is anticipated that it should be possible to achieve S/N ~ 50 in about 1hr on-source at 2.3µm for stars down to K~10.5 mag.
At SOAR Phoenix will be mounted on the staraight through port of the IR-ISB. Guiding will be accomplished using a fast readout CCD based guide camera which can be used to control SOAR's Tertiary Tip-Tilt mirror: optical light is directed to the camera by a pick off mirror mounted on an X-Y stage which can be located anywhere with in a 9x9 arcminute Patrol Field centered on the optical axis except for a small exclusion zone corresponding to the Phoenix science field. Image acquisition can be done in the optical, using the guide camera, or in the IR, using the Phoenix IR imaging mode (14" field of view, imaged through the order sorting filters). The ISB also includes a facility calibration unit which provides a continuum source for flat field calibration, and line sources for wavelength calibration.
Status
Work is underway at SOAR to install the Compressor and plumbing required for opperation of the Balzars Cryocooler which is used to cool Phoenix. A complete independant wildfire data system hfor use at SOAR as been assembled from spare parts and tested and will be installed on site in the next months. It is expected that Phoenix will be taken to SOAR for an initial engineering run at a time during the 2005A semester chosen to fit around the Science time scheduled on Gemini South. It is likely that Phoenix will be offered for science use on SOAR starting in the 2005B Semester.
More Information
Additional information on the instrument in general can be found on the Phoenix web page