TIFR Ground based Near Infrared Imagers and Spectrometers for Indian Telescopes

The infrared (IR) astronomy group has been perusing astronomical activities since its inception. IR group has been routinely involved in balloon-borne astronomy from field station at Hyderabad with indigenously developed payloads. Ground-based astronomical activities began with a single element detector. Later over time, a larger format array detector is being used in the cameras. TIFR Astronomy cameras have been routinely used at observatories across India.  TIRCAM has been operated
from IGO, IUCAA, Pune observatory,  MIRO, PRL, Mt.Abu observatory and DOT, ARIES, Devasthal observatory. TIRSPEC is operational at HCT, IIAP, Hanle observatory. Recently TANSPEC has installed and operational at DOT, ARIES, Devashtal observatory. TIRCAM is an imaging camera with unique observational capabilities of observation in PAH and L band in India. TIRCAM installation at DOT side port allows near-simultaneous observations with TIRCAM at side port and other instruments at the main port. TIRSPEC is an astronomical spectroscopic camera. TANSPEC is an advanced camera with one detector for imaging and another for high/low-resolution spectroscopy. The presentation here will give an overview of astronomy and various aspect of astronomy camera from an engineering perspective.

About the Speaker:

Mr. Milind B. Naik joined TIFR in October 1990 (initially in DNAP) and then the Infrared Astronomy Group of the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics (DAA) in January 1992. He is currently working in the DAA as a Scientific Officer [E]. His areas of interest include electronics and software. He is a key member of the IR group (DAA) and takes care of the ground-based instrumentation programs of the group. In this connection, he has also participated in major campaigns at various observatories in India (including Hanle, Ladakh) during the installation and commissioning of TIFR infrared cameras on Indian telescopes.