KMOS. Why? What? Who? How?

KMOS model view: From the outside only cryostat (right) and cable rotator (red, middle) are visible. The cabinets carry the instrument electronics.

KMOS (K-Band Multi-Object Spectrometer) is a multi-object spectrometer working in the near infrared which is currently being built by a British-German consortium for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). After its completion it will be installed as one of several second generation instruments on the Very Large Telecope (VLT) at Cerro Paranal (Chile, figure below).

KMOS shall be capable of delivering spatially resolved spectral data of up to 24 scientific targets simultaneously by means of deployable Integral Field Units, each resolving a square field of 2.8x2.8 arcseconds into 14x14 spatial pixels.

After having finished the Final Design phase in July 2007 the commisioning of KMOS at VLT and the delivery of first scientific data are envisaged for autumn 2012.

The four Unit Telescopes of ESO VLT at Cerro Paranal: One will house KMOS from 2012 on.

The USM participates in the project by developing the instrument software and electronics.