Science Operations

LUCI

LUCI Overview

The LUCI (LBT Utility Camera in the Infrared) instruments are almost identical NIR instruments, operated at cryogenic temperatures, which provide imaging, longslit spectroscopy, and MOS spectroscopy over a 4 arc-minute square field of view. The principal differences between the instruments are the cut on wavelength (0.89 μm in LUCI1 and 0.95 μm in LUCI 2, due to slight differences in the dichroic dewar entrance window) and the grating complement (each LUCI has one unique grating). They are mounted at the front Bent Gregorian f/15 focal stations of the LBT, and were designed and built by the LUCI consortium, which consists of Landessternwarte Heidelberg, MPE, MPIA, and Astronomisches Institut der Universität Bochum. LUCI1 is located on the left (SX), and LUCI2 on the right (DX).

The LUCI User Manual goes in depth into the use and capabilities of LUCI1 and LUCI2.

Available Modes

Available LUCI1 and LUCI2 modes are summarized on this page.
Also please check the Recent Announcement page before your run for any last minute updates to the current instrument suite availability.

Overviews of the complement of observing modes with the LUCI’s are linked below:
Seeing Limited LUCI
LUCI ESM
LUCI+FLAO (AO)
LUCI+ARGOS

 

Image of LUCI’s physical placement on the telescope complements of Enrico Sacchetti, with and additional overlay to indicate the mechanical components