On-orbit performance of HST Wide Field Camera 3

John W. MacKenty; Randy A. Kimble; Robert W. O'Connell; Jacqueline A. Townsend

doi:10.1117/12.857533

5 August 2010 On-orbit performance of HST Wide Field Camera 3

John W. MacKenty, Randy A. Kimble, Robert W. O'Connell, Jacqueline A. Townsend

Proceedings Volume 7731, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 77310Z (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857533
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) was installed into the Hubble Space Telescope during Servicing Mission 4 in May 2009. This panchromatic camera considerably improves the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared imaging capabilities of HST. Commissioned over the summer of 2009, WFC3 is now fully functional and responsible for approximately half of the Cycle 17 HST Science Program. This paper will review the scientific performance of WFC3 including its sensitivity in absolute terms and relative to other HST instruments. The paper will also discuss the calibration programs for WFC3 and the achieved photometric and astrometric calibration accuracies. Lessons learned from the ground calibration and in-flight commissioning will also be considered.

Citation Download Citation

John W. MacKenty, Randy A. Kimble, Robert W. O'Connell, and Jacqueline A. Townsend "On-orbit performance of HST Wide Field Camera 3", Proc. SPIE 7731, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 77310Z (5 August 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857533

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