HPDE.io

MLSO_ACOS_PICS

ResourceID
spase://SMWG/Instrument/Ground/MaunaLoaSO/PICS

Description

The first H-alpha [656.3 nm] telescope at MLSO
was the Prominence Monitor (PMON), which went into operation on
4 February 1980. It acquired both disk and limb images on B/W 35mm film.
On 20 February 1994, the Acme 35mm film camera was upgraded to a Kodak
Megaplus [Model 1.6] CCD detector (1534x1030 pixels) with a sample size
of 3 arcseconds, and the telescope was renamed the Digital Prominence
Monitor (DPM). On 25 September 1997, the PICS instrument replaced the
DPM at MLSO. It provides several improvements over the DPM instrument,
including optics for polarization measurement (since removed), improved
temperature control, a narrower bandpass filter for disk observations,
and improved optics for limb observations. PICS takes images at 656.3 nm,
with a FOV of 2.3 solar radii, a spatial resolution of 2.9"/pixel,
and a nominal cadence of 3 minutes.
PICS was decommissioned on 23 Feb, 2010 to make room on the tracking
spar for the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (CoMP). In its place,
a small Coronado SolarMax60 Halpha imager was installed. The Coronado
has a full FOV out to 2.25 Rsun at low latitudes and 1.6 Rsun over the
poles before cropping (for large EPLs, the full FOV can be provided).
Its spacial resolution is 1.77 arcseconds per pixel, with a nominal
cadence of 3 minutes (capable of obtaining an image per
second).

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Details

Version:2.2.2

Instrument

ResourceID
spase://SMWG/Instrument/Ground/MaunaLoaSO/PICS
ResourceHeader
ResourceName
MLSO_ACOS_PICS
ReleaseDate
2015-10-23 00:00:00Z
Description

The first H-alpha [656.3 nm] telescope at MLSO
was the Prominence Monitor (PMON), which went into operation on
4 February 1980. It acquired both disk and limb images on B/W 35mm film.
On 20 February 1994, the Acme 35mm film camera was upgraded to a Kodak
Megaplus [Model 1.6] CCD detector (1534x1030 pixels) with a sample size
of 3 arcseconds, and the telescope was renamed the Digital Prominence
Monitor (DPM). On 25 September 1997, the PICS instrument replaced the
DPM at MLSO. It provides several improvements over the DPM instrument,
including optics for polarization measurement (since removed), improved
temperature control, a narrower bandpass filter for disk observations,
and improved optics for limb observations. PICS takes images at 656.3 nm,
with a FOV of 2.3 solar radii, a spatial resolution of 2.9"/pixel,
and a nominal cadence of 3 minutes.
PICS was decommissioned on 23 Feb, 2010 to make room on the tracking
spar for the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (CoMP). In its place,
a small Coronado SolarMax60 Halpha imager was installed. The Coronado
has a full FOV out to 2.25 Rsun at low latitudes and 1.6 Rsun over the
poles before cropping (for large EPLs, the full FOV can be provided).
Its spacial resolution is 1.77 arcseconds per pixel, with a nominal
cadence of 3 minutes (capable of obtaining an image per
second).

Contacts
RolePersonStartDateStopDateNote
1.GeneralContactspase://SMWG/Person/Thomas.E.Holzer
PriorIDs
spase://SMWG/Instrument/Ground/MaunaLoaSO/PICS
InstrumentType
Imager
InvestigationName
ACOS/PICS at MLSO
ObservatoryID