Visible Multi Object Spectrograph

The Visible Multi-Object Spectrograph (VIMOS) is a wide field imager and a multi-object spectrograph installed at the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT), in Chile. The instrument used for deep astronomical surveys delivers visible images and spectra of up to 1,000 galaxies at a time.[1][2] VIMOS images four rectangular areas of the sky, 7 by 8 arcminutes each, with gaps of 2 arcminutes between them.[1] Its principal investigator was Olivier Le Fèvre.

VIMOS attached to VLT's Melipal (UT3)

The Franco-Italian instrument operates in the visible part of the spectrum from 360 to 1000 nanometers (nm). In the conceptual design phase, the multi-object spectrograph then called VIRMOS included an additional instrument, NIMOS, operating in the near-infrared spectrum of 1100–1800 nm.[3]

Operating in the three different observation modes, direct imaging, multi-slit spectroscopy, and integral field spectroscopy, the main objective of the instrument is to study the early universe through massive redshift surveys, such as the VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey.[4]

VIMOS saw its first light on 26 February, 2002, and has since been mounted on the Nasmyth B focus of VLT's Melipal unit telescope (UT3).[5][6]

It was retired in 2018 to make space for the return of CRIRES+.[7]

  • Close-up of VIMOS
    Close-up of VIMOS

See also

References
  1. "VIMOS – Visible Multi Object Spectrograph (Summary)". ESO. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  2. "VIMOS – General Description (Overview)". ESO. 23 March 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  3. "VIMOS and NIRMOS: Status Report" (PDF). ESO. March 1998.
  4. "New Light on Dark Energy—Probing the cosmic Web of the Universe". ESO (eso0804, Science Release). 30 January 2008.
  5. "VIMOS—Visible Multi-Object Spectrograph". ESO. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  6. "VIMOS—a Cosmology Machine for the VLT. Successful Test Observations With Powerful New Instrument at Paranal". ESO (eso0209, Science Release). 13 March 2002.
  7. "Paranal – decommissioned instruments". Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  8. Largest Galaxy Proto-Supercluster Found - Astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope uncover a cosmic titan lurking in the early Universe, European Southern Observatory (ESO), 17 October 2018, Science Release eso1833, retrieved 19 October 2018
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