ANDES

ANDES

ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph – Spettrografo Echelle ad alta dispersione di ArmazoNes (ex HIRES).

SHORT DESCRIPTION

ANDES will be a powerful spectrograph that will split up light from astronomical targets observed by ESO-ELT telescope into all its component wavelengths, enabling astronomers to study a wide range of wavelengths in high-resolution.

ESO-ELT (Extremely Large Telescope) is an extremely large optical telescope being built on Cerro Armazones in Chile (Antofagasta Region) with a primary mirror diameter of 39 meters and which should see light in 2027.

ANDES is an instrument composed of three fiber-powered echelle spectrographs. This instrument will combine its high resolution and wide spectral range with the huge surface area of ​​the ESO-ELT to produce data with exquisite detail and sensitivity.

The high-resolution data collected by instrument will enable astronomers to research signatures of life in the atmosphere of Earth-like exoplanets, to identify the very first generation of stars in the Universe, to study possible variations in some of the fundamental constants of physics and to directly measure the acceleration of the Universe’s expansion.

The ANDES project is developed by an International Consortium composed by Research Institutes of 14 Countries: Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and USA. Italy participates with INAF and is the leader for the technical part.

ROLE OF THE OBSERVATORY

The researchers/technologists of the Brera Astronomical Observatory (OAB) have a fundamental role in the development of the ANDES instrument, as they have established a system engineering team that manages all the technical part of the instrument. This team is composed of experts in various technical fields, such as optics, mechanics, modeling and others, who are called architects. The architects are responsible for the different hardware and software components of the scientific instrument, and coordinate with all the consortium partners for the design, construction and testing of the instrument.
The team is led by a system engineer, who supervises all the activities and interfaces with the architects.
OAB therefore has the role of technical leader of the instrument, ensuring the quality and efficiency of the final product.

OBSERVATORY STAFF INVOLVED

• Alessio Zanutta: System Engineer
• Riva Marco: Deputy system engineer
• Landoni Marco: Software system engineer
• Redaelli Edoardo: Mechanical Architect
• Matteo Aliverti: Thermal and Cryogenic Architect
• Giorgio Pariani: Integration and Test Architect
• Marcello Scalera: PhD student – Instrument model
• Andrea Scaudo: PhD student – Software simulations

TIMELINE

2023 – 2027

WEBSITE

CONTACT

alessio.zanutta AT inaf.it

CREDIT

Web page content: A. Zanutta per ANDES Team.