Spirou

Various optics of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph installed on a cryogenic bench, in the clean room. On the left is the dispersive system consisting of three prisms and an echelle network; the imposing objective is positioned on the right; the reflecting mirror and the pupil slicer are in the centre. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii…

Preparation and cleaning of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph prior to closure of the cryostat. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also unravel the mysteries of…

Cleaning of the Hartmann mask wheel after installation. It will be used during testing of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph at cryogenic temperature (80 kelvin or close to -200°C). SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems…

Installation of the objective of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph on its dedicated cryogenic bench. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also unravel the…

Verification of connections at the rear of the objective of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph, prior to initiation of a cryogenic cycle. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun…

Objective of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph. It measures nearly a metre in length and 400 mm in diameter and weighs 70 kg. Consisting of a succession of lenses and doublets, it enables convergence of the light rays from the parabolic mirror onto the spectrograph’s detector. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end…

Cleaning of the cryogenic bench dedicated to the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph prior to closure of the cryostat. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also unravel…

Verification of the operation of the Hartmann mask wheel, which will be used during testing of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph, prior to closure of the cryostat. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars…

The pupil slicer is installed between the reflecting mirror and the objective; they constitute various optical elements of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph. Inside this compact system, several small mirrors enable re-imaging inside the spectrograph of the light beams from three optical fibres. The slicer is the result of an innovative study undertaken in collaboration with Winlight Optics (Pertuis). SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined…

Dismantling the testing tools employed for alignment of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph, prior to closure of the cryostat. SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the…

Objective of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph reflecting onto the collimator mirror behind which various temperature sensors are installed. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the…

Various optical elements of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph: prisms, flat reflecting mirror, pupil slicer and objective. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could…

Four Hartmann masks are raised in succession to conceal four different areas of the pupil, at the entrance to the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s objective. They enable various optical tests during the cryostat’s cryogenic cycle. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin…

Verification of the temperature sensors located at the rear of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph, prior to closure of the cryostat. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It…

Verification of the temperature sensors located at the rear of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph, prior to closure of the cryostat. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It…

Testing of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s Cassegrain module, in a climatic chamber. This enables simulation of the climatic conditions that the module will experience when it is installed in the dome of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the CFHT at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect…

Various optics of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph installed on a cryogenic bench, in the clean room. On the left is the dispersive system consisting of three prisms and an echelle network; the imposing objective is positioned on the right; the reflecting mirror and the pupil slicer are in the centre. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii…

Final alignment verifications of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph in the clean room, prior to closure of the cryostat. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also…

Final alignment verifications of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph in the clean room, prior to closure of the cryostat. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also…

Verification of the positions of the various optomechanical elements of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph, in accordance with the digital design models. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the…

Diffraction network (R2 echelle network) of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument spectrograph in tilted position in its mount and located after the prisms on the optical path. This diffraction network contributes, with the prisms, to the light dispersion in the spectrograph. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was…

Installation in the clean room of various tools specially designed for the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph alignment stages. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could…

Part of the optics (pupil slicer and objective) is replaced by test optics in order to facilitate certain of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph alignment stages in the clean room. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of…

General view of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph on its dedicated cryogenic bench. During the early stages of alignment, part of the optics is replaced by various test optics. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of…

Reflections through various test optics present on the optical bench of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph, at the commencement of alignment in the clean room. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in…

Prisms of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph, secured on their mechanical mounts by means of various aluminium flexible connections specially designed by NRC - H (Victoria, Canada) for the spectrograph’s cryogenic temperatures (80 kelvin or close to -200°C). SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was…

Collimator optic of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph, a large off-axis parabola, 732 x 370 mm, in Zerodur material and having two usable areas (produced by Thalès-SESO - Aix-en-Provence). SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary…

Positioning of optics on the cryogenic bench dedicated to the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also unravel the mysteries of the…

Assembly of three successive prisms comprising the dispersive system of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph. These prisms, whose materials were selected for infrared, are positioned to very precise angles and work on a double pass (outward and return journey of the light beam). SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end…

Alignment of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph using various test tools. In particular, the mounts are referenced to the cryogenic bench via various movable brass assembly pins. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of…

Alignment of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph in the clean room. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also unravel the mysteries of the birth of stars and planets…

Positioning of the diffraction network (R2 echelle network) on the cryogenic bench dedicated to the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph, in the clean room. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the…

Installation of the objective of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph on the dedicated cryogenic bench, in the clean room. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also…

Installation of the pupil slicer and objective completing the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph on the dedicated cryogenic bench, in the clean room. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of…

Preparation of the bench dedicated to the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph prior to initiation of a cryogenic cycle. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also unravel…

Objective of the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument’s spectrograph, equipped with various temperature sensors to be connected prior to commencement of the cryogenic cycle. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the…

Preparation of the bench dedicated to the SPIRou (InfraRed SpectroPolarimeter) instrument's spectrograph prior to initiation of a cryogenic cycle. SPIRou consists of a near-infrared spectropolarimeter combined with a high-precision velocimeter. Installed at the Cassegrain focus of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) at the end of 2017, SPIRou was designed to detect habitable Earth-twin exoplanets in the planetary systems of red dwarf stars in the vicinity of the Sun. It could also unravel…