HARMONI is the first light, adaptive optics assisted, integral field spectrograph for the European Southern Observatory’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). A work-horse instrument, it provides the ELT’s diffraction limited spectroscopic capability across the near-infrared wavelength range. HARMONI will exploit the ELT’s unique combination of exquisite spatial resolution and enormous collecting area, enabling transformational science. The design of the instrument is being finalized, and the plans for assembly, integration and testing are being detailed. We present an overview of the instrument’s capabilities from a user perspective, and provide a summary of the instrument’s design. We also include recent changes to the project, both technical and programmatic, that have resulted from red-flag actions. Finally, we outline some of the simulated HARMONI observations currently being analyzed.
The Natural Guide Star Sensors (NGSS) system of HARMONI provides wavefront and image stabilisation sensing for each of the observing modes of the instrument. The Focal Plane Relay System (FPRS) relays and redirects the telescope beam from the ELT Prefocal Station (PFS) to the NGSS and spectrograph. To limit thermal background and to ensure the required stability, the sensors and optics are contained in a dry gas environment stabilized at -15 degrees Celsius. Achieving this cooled, dry environment requires an insulated enclosure, cooling system and dry air flushing system. These measures present certain novel challenges; the design solutions are described here.
HARMONI is the adaptive optics assisted, near-infrared and visible light integral field spectrograph for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). A first light instrument, it provides the work-horse spectroscopic capability for the ELT. As the project approaches its Final Design Review milestone, the design of the instrument is being finalized, and the plans for assembly, integration and testing are being detailed. We present an overview of the instrument’s capabilities from a user perspective, provide a summary of the instrument’s design, including plans for operations and calibrations, and provide a brief glimpse of the predicted performance for a specific observing scenario. The paper also provides some details of the consortium composition and its evolution since the project commenced in 2015.
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