2MASS - Two micron all sky
survey
|
2MASS
uniformly scanned the entire sky in three near-infrared
bands using two automated 1.3-m telescopes, one at Mt.
Hopkins, AZ,
and one at CTIO, Chile. 2MASS detected and characterized point
sources brighter than about 1 mJy in each
band. This achieved an 80,000-fold improvement in
sensitivity relative to earlier surveys. |
Spitzer Space Telescope
(formerly SIRFT)
|
Spitzer
is a point and shoot satellite in operation since 2003. It covers a
region from 3 to 180 microns. The 0.85-meter telescope supports three
instruments. The spectrograph system covers the range from 5.3 - 40
microns. |
ISO - Infrared Space Observatory
|
ISO
was a
point and shoot astronomical satellite operated between November 1995
and May 1998 by the European Space Agency. It was 1000 times more
sensitive and has an angular resolution 100 times better than IRAS. The
0.6 m telescope supported two spectrographs. It operated at wavelengths
from 2.5
to 240 microns. ISO
made well over 26,000 scientific observations. |
NICMOS
- Hubble Space Telescope Near Infrared Camera
|
The
Hubble Space Telescope Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object
Spectrometer is a point and shoot device covering the band 0.8 to 2.5
microns. |
MSX - Midcourse
Space Experiment
|
The
MSX
mission flew in the 1996-1997 period. One objective was to fill in the
5% of the sky not covered by IRAS. MSX took data at four wavelengths; A
(8.28 µm); C (12.13 µm); D (14.65 µm); E (21.3
µm). |