MOS Pre-imaging manual

0. Introduction

For open use observations, pre-imaging for target fields are taken around one month before MOS spectroscopic observations.
Images taken by FOCAS are currently required to assign MOS slit position.

Observers are requested to inform the final coordinate of the target fields to the support scientist after considering effects of a CCD gap and spectrum distribution on dispersion direction which are described below. 

1. GAP between CCDs

FOCAS has two 2KX4K CCDs. Because of this structure, there is around 5 arcsec gap between the CCDs.
The observers can adjust coordinates to avoid that targets fall onto the gap, of which position can be found here.

2. Asymmetry in spectroscopic image

A problem of asymmetry in a spectroscopic image arises especially in 300B configurations.

For example, with the 300B + L600 setting, 3500-6000A region can be observed. The blaze wavelength 5500A will be just below the slit, which means that the spectra will extend more to the blue side if we put the slit at the centre of the FOV (5500-3500=2000A toward blue, 6000-5500=500A toward red). In another word, you have more room for slits at western part of the your target coordinates in case of PA=0 deg.
You can change the spectral image distribution by shifting the slit position. Note that each spectrum will occupy about 2000 pix in wavelength direction, which is as big as about half of the available length of the CCD (4000 pix in Y).

Information on the blaze angle, wavelength coverage can be found here.


An instruction on how to use the MDP program for choosing the pre-imaging PA/RA, DEC is here. [Japanese only]