SHARP in a nutshell
SHARP is a concept study for a near-infrared spectrograph designed to exploit the capabilities of future ground-based or space-based high angular resolution telescopes, such as the generation of Multi-Conjiugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO)-assisted Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) and the Habitable World Observatory (HWO).
Its primary target is MORFEO the MCAO system at the ESO-ELT, a ground-based telescope that is currently under construction in Chile’s Atacama desert and that will see the first light at the end of this decade. With its main mirror of 39 meters, it will be the largest visible and infrared telescope in the world and will allow a deeper exploration of our Universe.
In this context, SHARP could potentially be the most powerful spectrograph in the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) era, seeing what others cannot. The instrument is designed to cover a wavelength range extending from 0.95 μm up to 2.45 μm, enabling the supporting telescope to see the nearby and the early Universe with an accuracy that goes beyond what is achievable by today’s instrumentation. SHARP will also be able to resolve the physical properties of the first galaxies, a task that is currently unattainable even for the JWST.
The cooperation between the next generation of ELTs or space telescopes and SHARP will overcome the observational limitations imposed by JWST, taking up the baton left by the latter when its mission will end.
SHARP will cover a broad range of scientific cases related to extragalactic and galactic physics. It will allow scientists to study the formation and evolution of the first galaxies and the primordial populations of stars, with the aim to understand how baryonic matter assembled to form the first structures in our Universe.
SHARP is a near-infrared multi-mode spectrograph conceived for the 2nd port of MORFEO, the adaptive optics system of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).
The instrument is made of two main units: a Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) called NEXUS, and a multi-Integral Field Unit (multi-IFU) called VESPER.
The project is managed by a team of 45 different people, covering a great variety of roles.
The team is expected to significally expand as national and international collaborations grow.
The project is currently in the concept study phase.
Learn more about SHARP by joining us at one of our next meeting.
You can also take a look at some presentations which might be helpful to dive deep into the project and the main characteristics of the instrument.
Contact
For further information on the project, please contact paolo.saracco@inaf.it