Instruments -> 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.

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.

Here's an animation that shows how the NIRSpec instrument will work.   Formats: 28.8.avi, 9.1 MB .mov, 9.1 MB .mp4

For more information, visit the NIRSpec website at the Space Telescope Science Institute http://www.stsci.edu/ngst/instruments/nirspec/