The Messenger Telescopes and Instrumentation

MUSE WFM AO Science Verification

Authors
  • Leibundgut, Bruno [European Southern Observatory (ESO)]
  • Bacon, Roland [CRAL, Observatoire de Lyon, Saint Genis Laval, France]
  • Jaffé, Yara L. [European Southern Observatory (ESO)]
  • Johnston, Evelyn [European Southern Observatory (ESO)]
  • Kuntschner, Harald [European Southern Observatory (ESO)]
  • Selman, Fernando [European Southern Observatory (ESO)]
  • Valenti, Elena [European Southern Observatory (ESO)]
  • Vernet, Joël [European Southern Observatory (ESO)]
  • Vogt, Frédéric [European Southern Observatory (ESO)]

Section
Telescopes and Instrumentation
Abstract

The goal of Science Verification (SV) as part of the transition into operations is to carry out scientific observations to test the end-to-end operations of a new instrument or new instrument modes. The Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, (MUSE; Bacon et al., 2010), at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) can be operated in several modes. The wide-field mode has been offered since Period 94 (October 2014) for natural-seeing observations. With the commissioning of the Adaptive Optics Facility (AOF; Arsenault et al., 2017) the wide-field mode can be supported by ground-layer adaptive optics through four artificial laser guide stars and the adaptive optics module, Ground Atmospheric Layer Adaptive OptiCs for Spectroscopic Imaging (GALACSI). The MUSE wide-field mode adaptive optics Science Verification (hereafter referred to MUSE WFM AO SV) was scheduled from 12–14 August 2017. Out of 41 submitted proposals, 19 observing programmes were scheduled, covering a wide range of science topics and amounting to an allocation of 42 hours. This included sufficient oversubscription to cover all expected observing conditions. Due to inclement weather during the original SV nights, two more nights were allocated on 16 and 17 September 2017 to observe more programmes. In total, seven programmes were completed, six programmes received partial data, and the remaining six projects could not be started. We summarise here the planning, execution and first results from the Science Verification.


Dates
Created: 2017-12-01/2017-12-31
Length
6 pages

Cite this article:

Leibundgut, B., Bacon, R., Jaffé, Y., Johnston, E., Kuntschner, H., Selman, F., Valenti, E., Vernet, J., Vogt, F.; MUSE WFM AO Science Verification. The Messenger 170 (December 2017): 20–25. https://doi.org/10.18727/0722-6691/5050