Goal: to enable high-resolution spectroscopy and precise radial velocities at CTIO 1.5m. The project "Mission to Alpha Centauri" led by Debra Fischer (SFSU) will use this instrument to detect terrestrial planets around the components of this binary star. See the article in New Scientist (Feb. 29, 2008). Debra says: "We actually want to beat the precision below 10 cm/s over the "mission" lifetime, and we'll need these extreme-precision observations to be distributed over the entire orbital period of the planet (1 year for Earth, of course). If there are many rocky planets (like our Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) then we'll need many more observations to resolve each of the planets."

Quick solution: connect the existing Blanco Echelle spectrograph by fiber. In a longer term, a better CCD and a more efficient spectrograph will be sought to replace the venerable Blanco Echelle. The picture shows a fragment of the solar spectrum around Na doublet taken with the Blanco Echelle spectrograph fed by fiber (August 8, 2007). Instrument parameters: echelle 31.6 lines/mm, cross-disperser grating G226-2 (226 lines/mm, size 165×220 mm), red camera (F=590 mm). The spectrograph can reach a 2-pixel resolution R=40000. It is equipped with the 2K SITE CCD detector, 24-micron pixels (0.072 A/pix around D-lines). An iodine cell will be used for precise wavelength reference.

Events

• August 1 to September 15, 2008: Observing run on Alpha Cen.
• May 19 to June 15, 2008: Engineering and observing run.
• April 16-17, 2008: Installation and first light. The front-end adapter was tested, first spectra of bright stars and comparison lamps are recorded. See the portion of the HR 4546 spectrum around H-alpha

Setup, Manuals, Instructions

• Setup and test (August 5, 2008) PDF, 47K
• Observer instructions for Alpha Cen English [PDF, 0.56M] and Espa~nol [PDF, 0.28M]
• User guide to 1.5-m Fiber Echelle Spectrograph (August 5, 2008) PDF, 1.25M
• IRAF guide to data acquisition, quick-look, and transfer (text)
• Log-sheet for observer [.doc file]

Other documents

• Report on the first 1.5-m fiber echelle run (May-June 2008) June 20, 2008. PDF, 143K
• Guider camera and software for 1.5m echelle June 11, 2008. PDF, 47K
• Report: first light with the Echelle spectrometer on the 1.5-m CTIO telescope. D. Fischer, May 26, 2008. PDF, 657M
• Installation and test of the fiber link to 1.5m echelle. April 25, 2008. PDF, 1M
• Electronics for the 1.5m fiber echelle front-end module. April 23, 2008. PDF, 44K
• Fiber feed design for the CTIO 1.5m telescope echelle. April 10, 2008. PDF, 454K
• Formation and Detectability of Terrestrial Planets Around Alpha Centauri B, by Javiera M. Guedes, Eugenio J. Rivera, Erica Davis, Gregory Laughlin, Elisa V. Quintana, Debra A. Fischer. February 2008, arXiv:0802.3482
• Media coverage: UCSC Press Release - Wired News - Space Flight Now
• Characterization of the BME fiber cable. August 1, 2007 PDF, 45K