Title
First light of SOVAG, a spectrograph for visible and near-infrared observation of asteroids
Date Issued
01 February 2021
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
review
Author(s)
Birlan M.
Cochard F.
Darson D.
Carry B.
Vernazza P.
Nedelcu A.
Dubois J.
Fornasier S.
Perna D.
Morfin P.
Research University
Publisher(s)
Springer Science and Business Media B.V.
Abstract
Spectroscopy in the visible and near-infrared has been the main tool for characterising the surface properties of asteroids for decades. For a given target, the two wavelength regimes are usually acquired by different telescopes/instruments, separated by years. They are seldom obtained simultaneously. However, it is not straightforward to combine datasets from different sources because of the spectral reddening linked with phase angle. We present the first-light result of SOVAG (Spectrographe pour l’Observations dans le Visible et infrarouge proche d’Astéroïdes Géocroiseurs), a new concept of spectrograph for observing both wavelength ranges at the same time. It is compact in design and portable. We developed a prototype of this instrument between 2016 and 2018. In July 2018, we mounted SOVAG on the 1 m-telescope in Pic du Midi observatory (for which it was designed) and conducted its on-sky first light experiment. We present a spectrum of (4) Vesta which demonstrates the reliability of observations and the accuracy of the calibration. Ongoing development will allow us to push observation-limits toward fainter objects.
Start page
181
End page
192
Volume
51
Issue
1
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Astronomía
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85100677646
Source
Experimental Astronomy
ISSN of the container
09226435
Sponsor(s)
SOVAG instrument was supported by DIM-ACAV Ile de France regional program, the CNRS/PNP national program, Paris Observatory Scientific Council, Astrochimie and ESTERS transverse programs, and the IMCCE ACME team. The authors thank Rick Binzel from MIT and Mark Rushton from AIRA for useful comments on this manuscript.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus