Wide Field Camera 3
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Overview - Capabilities

The Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) project was originally conceived to only replace the capabilities of an aging WFPC2 instrument. During the later phases of study for the instrument however, it became clear with the advancement of technologies and careful planning, WFC3 could substantially enhance Hubble's abilities by adding a second channel (in the near-IR range). Adding a second channel of this type is almost like adding another instrument to Hubble.

Dual-Channels for a Wide Spectral Range

Dual-Channels for a Wide Spectral Range

  1. The Ultraviolet-Visible (UVis) Channel: Covers a wavelength range of 200-1000 nanometers. This includes the visible spectrum, part of the near-ultraviolet, and a portion of near-infrared.
  2. The Infrared (IR) Channel: Covers a wavelength range of 800-1700 nanometers. It will have the greatest sensitivity in the near-infrared range of all Hubble's instruments.

With these two channels, WFC3 will achieve excellent panchromatic (full - spectrum) imaging. Stellar objects are not just in the visible spectrum, but also exist in the blue (near-UV) and red (near-IR) extremes. WFC3 was designed to study light in these regions of the spectrum better than Hubble's current capabilities. Specifications of WFC3's channels can be found in the technology section.

Resolution and Field-of-View

Because of advances in detector technology, WFC3's imaging capability will be the best yet. One of the most important specifications for Hubble's instruments is resolution. The better the resolution (smaller value), the more detail can be achieved when imaging stellar objects. It is measured in angle-size per pixel. Below is an example of a pixel with a 0.13 arcsec resolution.

Resolution and Field-of-View

  1. UVis Channel --- Resolution = .04 arcsec/pixel
    The UVis channel will produce images that are 4096x4096 pixels.
    Each pixel receives light from a 0.04x0.04 arcsec patch of sky.
    With all the pixels, that makes a 160x160 arcsec field of view.
  2. IR Channel --- Resolution = .13 arcsec/pixel
    The IR channel will produce images that are 1024x1024 pixels.
    Each pixel receives light from a 0.12x0.14 arcsec patch of sky.
    With all the pixels, that makes a 123x139 arcsec field of view.

WFC3 is superior to WFPC2 in resolution and field-of-view. It will be comparable to ACS (the most advanced instrument currently aboard Hubble) and excel in some areas. Plus, its IR-channel will be a great enhancement to Hubble's infrared capabilities. Specifications of WFC3's detector capabilities can be found in the technology section.

Side Note: The specification often given with digital cameras is its megapixel Resolution. A 4.0 megapixel camera is common in the marketplace today. WFC3 UVis channel consists of a square array of 4096x4096 pixels yielding 16.8 million pixels or a "16.8 megapixel camera". The IR channel would be a "10.5 megapixel camera".