The Echelle Spectrograph for the CTIO 4m Blanco Telescope

The Echelle Spectrograph is used at the f/7.8 Ritchey-Critchien focus of the 4m Blanco Telescope. With its long focal-length camera, this spectrograph gives 12 km/sec FHWM spectral resolution with simultaneous coverage over wavelength ranges as wide as 4900Å (but only 2460Å with the most commonly-used cross disperser). Shorter focal length cameras are also available which give ~25 km/sec FWHM resolution with similar wavelength coverage.

• Basic Description of the Spectrograph A reference manual describing available choices of optics, gratings, cameras, CCDs etc.

• Proposal Preparation Checklist How to put together a plausible answer to that !@#$% "Technical and Scientific Feasibility" question on the CTIO Observing Proposal.

• Visitor Support Questionnaire Send me in at least a month before your run...

• ECHMAP --- Interactive Wavelength Coverage Simulator

• Exposure Time Calculator

• Observing/Reduction Procedures Setup, calibration, taking data, ARCON control, IRAF.

• 4M Echelle Spectrograph with BAS + LORAL 3K

• Old CTIO User Manual Entry (fairly obsolete)

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Consumer Warning: As of 2 Jan 1996 this manual contains all of the facts that we can lay our hands on, but there are still several gaps. Also, BEWARE: you may not be able to get the ECHMAP Interactive Wavelength Coverage Simulator to work from your computer, and the exposure time calculator only gives approximate answers.