Introduction
Echelle spectrographs are at the core of the scientific case for large telescopes, as it is in the high spectral resolution regime that one is able to realise the full potential of the increased aperture over smaller telescopes. Consequently, almost every 8-10 m telescope planned or already in existence includes a high resolution spectrograph among its instruments. The role of bHROS for Gemini South has to be considered against this background.
bHROS is a high-resolution (R=150,000) echelle spectrograph, mounted in the pier of Gemini-South and fed by optical fibres mounted on the GMOS instrument located at the Cassegrain focus of the telescope. bHROS will have the highest spectral resolution among the optical spectrographs currently being designed and built for 8-10m class telescopes.
The instrument is fully automated in operation, at least partly because the telescope will operate under flexible scheduling to permit the best use of varying observing conditions.
The Gemini webpages can be accessed here.
bHROS in PPARC Frontiers
An article about bHROS appeared in the Autumn 2003 issue of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council's publication Frontiers. Click here to read it...
Wide angle view of bHROS
