HSC Project
Research Background and Objectives
Subaru telescope has the unique prime focus (主焦点) located 15 m above the primary mirror (主鏡) The prime focus provides us with the wide field of view that covers the entire moon at the same time. In 1999, our group had developed a Prime Focus Camera, Suprime-Cam. Thanks to the Subaru's mechanical stability and accurately adjusted optics as well as superb seeing on Mauna Kea, sharp images were realized over the entire field of view. Wide field and sharp camera on a large aperture telescope had been unique and enables many new discoveries.
About ten years have passed after the first light of the camera. Since then, great progress have been made in understanding galaxy formations in early universe whereas new mysteries emerge such as dark energy. It turns out that the performance of Suprime-Cam is not enough to tackle with these new themes in observational astronomy.
In the mean time, advances of manufacturing technologies in semiconductor and optics industries enables large format sensors and lens that are crucial for building larger astronomical camera. Therefore, we decided to build Hyper Suprime-Cam in 2002 whose field of view is seven times wider than that of Suprime-Cam.
History
| Year | Milestone, Progress | Budget, Organization | People | Org. |
| 2002 | Conceptual study of new lens | Subaru R&D (Miyazaki+) | 3 | 1 |
| 2003~ | CCD development, Mechanics concept study | Grants-in-Aid(Miyazaki+) | 6 | 1 |
| 2005 | ASIAA participation | 10 | 2 | |
| 2006~ | CCD production, Lens, Mechanics detail design | Grants-in-Aid (Karoji+) | 33 | 4 |
| 2007 | Princeton participation | ~40 | 5 | |
| 2008 | NAOJ Subaru HSC project established | ~40 | 5 | |
| 2009 | Design Review | ~40 | 5 | |
| 2010~ | Stimulus Package (Murayama+) | ~40 | 5 | |
| 2011 | Lens and PFU completed Camera completed (planned) |
~40 | 5 | |
| 2012 | First Light (planned) |
HSC Collaboration
Camera Development
| Institute/Company | Roles |
| NAOJ | Management, System design, vacuum dewar, CCD, CCD readout electronics, shutter, filters, SH sensor, telescope installation monitor, data analysis |
| University of Tokyo (IPMU, Physics Dept.) | CCD readout electronics, data analysis |
| KEK | CCD readout electronics, data analysis |
| ASIAA, Taiwan | Filter exchanger system, optics methodology system |
| Princeton University (US) | Data analysis |
| Hamamatsu Photonics | CCD |
| Canon | Lens |
| Mitsubishi electric | Prime Focus Unit, Telescope Modification |
HSC Science Collaboration
The survey planning is underway by HSC Science Collaboration in which Japanese, Taiwanese and Princeton astronomers participate. The institute include:| National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, University of Tokyo, Nagoya University, Tohoku University, KEK, ASIAA, Princeton University, Ehime University, Kyoto University, ISAS, Kona University, National Central University (Taiwan), Nagasaki University, Kagoshima University, Shinshu University, Tokyo Gakugei University |