We present the status of IRAIT (Italian Robotic Antarctic Infrared Telescope) and the plans for its forthcoming installation at the Antarctic base of Dome C. After a short description of the telescope itself and of the auxiliary equipment for its transportation and quick setup in Antarctica we review the foreseen focal plane instrumentation including a near infrared image-spectrometer and a mid infrared camera. Recent developments of the collaboration in Europe aimed at upgrading the project to a really international effort are described and the role of French and Spanish teams in the new scheme are outlined. Finally some key projects that should especially benefit from a permanent in infrared facility in Antarctica are illustrated in the fields of stellar and extragalactic physics.
IRAIT: a Facility for IR Astronomy at Dome C
TOSTI, Gino;BUSSO, Maurizio Maria
2003
Abstract
We present the status of IRAIT (Italian Robotic Antarctic Infrared Telescope) and the plans for its forthcoming installation at the Antarctic base of Dome C. After a short description of the telescope itself and of the auxiliary equipment for its transportation and quick setup in Antarctica we review the foreseen focal plane instrumentation including a near infrared image-spectrometer and a mid infrared camera. Recent developments of the collaboration in Europe aimed at upgrading the project to a really international effort are described and the role of French and Spanish teams in the new scheme are outlined. Finally some key projects that should especially benefit from a permanent in infrared facility in Antarctica are illustrated in the fields of stellar and extragalactic physics.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
