Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec)
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The Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) enables scientists to obtain simultaneous spectra of more than 100 objects in a
9-square-arcminute field of view. This instrument provides medium-resolution spectroscopy over a wavelength range of 1 to 5
micrometers and lower-resolution spectroscopy from 0.6 to 5 micrometers. The NIRSpec employs a micro-electromechanical system
"microshutter array" for aperture control, and it has two HgCdTe detector arrays.
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NIRSpec's microshutter cells have lids that open and close when a magnetic field is applied. Each cell can be controlled individually, allowing it to be opened or closed to view or block a portion of the sky. It is this adjustability that allows the instrument to do spectroscopy on so many objects simultaneously!
Read more about NIRSpec's microshutter technology. |
For more information, visit the NIRSpec website at the Space Telescope Science Institute:
http://www.stsci.edu/ngst/instruments/nirspec/
