The ODI project is partially funded through the NSF Telescope System Instrumentation Program (TSIP).

The One Degree Imager

The One Degree Imager (ODI) is the flagship of the WIYN Consortium's new instrument initiatives. The combination of its large size and ability for electronic image stabilization make ODI a unique and very competitive instrument. ODI is sensitive to visible light and features a one thousand mega-pixel camera, an impressive number compared to the average digital camera at eight mega-pixels. The camera will cover a one-square-degree field of view which will allow ODI to capture vast areas of sky, greater than four times the area of the full moon, in a single image. A special detector technology called Orthogonal Transfer Array (OTA) CCD will be used to stabilize the images. Using OTA technology, ODI will be able to compensate for image motion due to atmospheric turbulence, telescope shake, and tracking errors by locally shifting the image directly within the CCD.

Detailed information on ODI is available on the ODI Technical Specifications page.

ODI Update - April 30, 2012

A joint WIYN/NOAO team is in the final stages of integration and testing of ODI before it is shipped to the WIYN 3.5m telescope in July 2012. Optical, thermal, mechanical, and electronic testing has, so far, proceeded well. The instrument will be installed and commissioned with a partially-filled focal plane (thirteen 4K X 4K OTA detectors), configured with a central filled region 24 arcminutes square, and 4 outlying regions. Commissioning activities are planned for the rest of semester 2012B, with general access anticipated for semester 2013A. While we have only 4 full-size (one degree square) filters (g, r, i, and z) we will be providing inserts that will hold 6-inch filters from the NOAO CCD Mosaic Imagers over the central filled region. In parallel with the instrument completion, an effort that combines expertise from WIYN, NOAO’s Science Data Management group, and Indiana University’s Pervasive Technology Institute is developing a post-observing data management, reduction, analysis, and access system. Data from ODI will be pipeline reduced and made available to archival researchers after a proprietary period.

The pODI focal plate, showing the 13 4K X 4K OTA detectors, two focus sensors (on sides), and a smiling Mark Hunten, ODI Systems Engineer. Black square covers are inserted into the empty mounting holes to prevent scattered light.

The WIYN/NOAO ODI team.

The assembled ODI instrument, seen from its back, on its cart in the NOAO flex rig building. The two gold boxes (one open) on the sides house the StarGrasp controllers; the three blue housings around the outside hold the nine filter arms.

For more information on the progress and development of ODI peruse the ODI Instrument Updates section.