Instrumentation projects

At MPIA, we develop and build state-of-the-art astronomical instruments for large optical telescopes. Our focus is on near-infrared instrumentation. Here is a list of all projects with MPIA involvement - often as part of international consortia.

Ground-based instrumentation

Main projects

Overview of the most recent instrumentation projects with MPIA involvement.  The instruments CARMENES, GRAVITY, LUCI, MATISSE, SPHERE are operational, PANIC is undergoing an upgrade.  The remainder of the instruments is under development.

4MOST

4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope – for ESO/VISTA. Contact scientist at MPIA: Maria Bergemann/Wolfgang Gässler more

ARGOS

Advanced Rayleigh guided Ground layer adaptive Optics System, the laser guide star system for the LBT. Contact Scientist at MPIA: Wolfgang Gässler more

CARMENES

Calar Alto high-Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exoearths with Near-infrared and optical Échelle Spectrographs – for the Calar Alto 3.5m telescope Contact scientist at MPIA: Ralf Launhardt/Martin Kürster more

GRAVITY

The Universe in Motion. Precision Astrometry with the ESO/VLTI. Contact scientist at MPIA: Wolfgang Brandner more

LINC-NIRVANA

Interferometric NIR camera at the LBT. Contact scientist at MPIA: Tom Herbst (PI) more

LUCI

LBT NIR spectroscopic Utility with Camera and Integral-Field Unit for Extragalactic Research, two NIR spectrographs for the LBT; LUCI-1 and LUCI-2, operational. Contact scientist at MPIA: Roland Gredel more

LVM

Local Volume Mapper (South) of the SDSS-V for the Las Campanas observatory. Contact scientist at MPIA: Thomas Herbst more

MATISSE

A mid-infrared imaging spectro-interferometer for the ESO/VLT. more

METIS

The Mid-Infrared E-ELT Imager and Spectrograph Contact scientist at MPIA: Markus Feldt more

MICADO

Multi-AO Imaging Camera for Deep Observations at the E-ELT. Contact Scientist at MPIA: Jörg-Uwe Pott more

NTE

NOT Transient Explorer for the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT). Contact Scientist at MPIA: Heidi Korhonen more

PANIC

PAnoramic Near-Infrared Camera for the Calar Alto 2.2m telescope. more

SPHERE

High-Contrast Adaptive Optics Instrument for finding and observing extra-solar Planets – for the ESO/VLT. Contact scientist at MPIA: Markus Feldt more