Overview

The Narrow-band Ultraviolet Imaging Experiment for Wide-Field Surveys is a sounding rocket experiment designed to study the dynamical interstellar medium in the Milky Way by mapping continuum and line emission from the diffuse UV background.  The experiment consists of 4 wide-field telescopes (20 x 30 degrees) tuned to 4 narrow far ultraviolet bands:  147, 155, 161, and 172 nm. The first flight of NUVIEWS occurred in July, 1996, during which 1/4 of the sky was mapped. Flight 2 is planned for April, 2002.  The entire sky will be mapped after 4 flights.

Flight #1

The first flight of NUVIEWS was successful, and we have generated a set of skymaps of continuum (dominated by dust scattered starlight), molecular hydrogen fluorescence, and CIV 155 nm line emission from the 100,000K interstellar medium.

Pictures from flight #1

Flight #2

Several modifications to the NUVIEWS payload are being made in preparation for completing the all-sky survey. We are replacing low quantum efficiency microchannel plate detectors with new higher QE plates. We are recoating two mirrors with new narrow band reflective multilayer coatings. We replacing a BaF2 filter with a sharp blue-rejection filter. Flight #2 is planned for April, 2002.

This page last modified on 24 Sep 2001 15:30