Paper 13094-63
Paper 13094-63
Updates to the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer: thousands of fibers, infinite possibilities (Invited Paper)
20 June 2024 • 10:20 - 10:50 Japan Standard Time | Room G403/404, North - 4F
Abstract
MSE is a massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility that will replace the Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope in the coming decade. This 11.5-m plus telescope, with its 1.5-2.0 square degree field-of-view, will observe 18,000 astronomical targets in every pointing from 360 nm through H-band at low/moderate resolution (R=3,000/7,000) and high (R=30,000). MSE will contribute to nearly every field of astrophysics across all spatial scales, from individual stars to the largest scale structures in the Universe, including (i) the ultimate Gaia follow-up facility for understanding the chemistry and dynamics of the Milky Way, including the outer disk and faint stellar halo (ii) galaxy formation and evolution at cosmic noon, (iii) derivation of the mass of the neutrino and insights into inflationary physics through a cosmological redshift survey that probes a large volume of the Universe. The instrument suite, dedicated to large-scale surveys, will enable MSE to collect massive data, equivalent to a full SDSS Legacy Survey every several weeks. We present an update to MSE along with the plan to develop a Pathfinder instrument at CFHT to fast-track the development of the MSE technology.
Presenter
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corp. (United States)
Dr. Andy Sheinis is the MSE Programs Director for the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer starting January 2023. He was formerly the interim Executive Director for Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) where he also served as the Director of Engineering. Prior to CFHT, Andy was the Head of Instrumentation at the Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO) and was the Project leader for the Hermes spectrograph at AAT, the GHOST spectrograph for Gemini Observatory and the 4MOST fiber positioner that AAO built for ESO. He also served on the Science Advisory Committee for the Giant Magellan Telescope. He has had faculty appointments at the University of Sydney and the University of Wisconsin in Madison where he was PI for the Robert Stobie NIR Spectrograph for the SALT telescope. He earned a PhD in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of California Santa Cruz, is a fellow of the Astronomical Society of Australia, has seven US patents, over 100 publications and 2400 citations.