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arXiv · 1008.0031

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE): Mission Description and Initial On-orbit Performance

Edward L. Wright·Peter R. M. Eisenhardt·Amy Mainzer·Michael E. Ressler·Roc M. Cutri·Thomas Jarrett·J. Davy Kirkpatrick·Deborah Padgett·Robert S. McMillan·Michael Skrutskie·S. A. Stanford·Martin Cohen·Russell G. Walker·John C. Mather·David Leisawitz·Thomas N. Gautier III·Ian McLean·Dominic Benford·Carol J. Lonsdale·Andrew Blain·Bryan Mendez·William R. Irace·Valerie Duval·Fengchuan Liu·Don Royer·Ingolf Heinrichsen·Joan Howard·Mark Shannon·Martha Kendall·Amy L. Walsh·Mark Larsen·Joel G. Cardon·Scott Schick·Mark Schwalm·Mohamed Abid·Beth Fabinsky·Larry Naes·Chao-Wei Tsai
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Abstract

The all sky surveys done by the Palomar Observatory Schmidt, the European Southern Observatory Schmidt, and the United Kingdom Schmidt, the InfraRed Astronomical Satellite and the 2 Micron All Sky Survey have proven to be extremely useful tools for astronomy with value that lasts for decades. The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer is mapping the whole sky following its launch on 14 December 2009. WISE began surveying the sky on 14 Jan 2010 and completed its first full coverage of the sky on July 17. The survey will continue to cover the sky a second time until the cryogen is exhausted (anticipated in November 2010). WISE is achieving 5 sigma point source sensitivities better than 0.08, 0.11, 1 and 6 mJy in unconfused regions on the ecliptic in bands centered at wavelengths of 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 microns. Sensitivity improves toward the ecliptic poles due to denser coverage and lower zodiacal background. The angular resolution is 6.1, 6.4, 6.5 and 12.0 arc-seconds at 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22 microns, and the astrometric precision for high SNR sources is better than 0.15 arc-seconds.

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Edward L. Wright, Peter R. M. Eisenhardt, Amy Mainzer, Michael E. Ressler, Roc M. Cutri, Thomas Jarrett, J. Davy Kirkpatrick, Deborah Padgett, Robert S. McMillan, Michael Skrutskie, S. A. Stanford, Martin Cohen, Russell G. Walker, John C. Mather, David Leisawitz, Thomas N. Gautier III, Ian McLean, Dominic Benford, Carol J. Lonsdale, Andrew Blain, Bryan Mendez, William R. Irace, Valerie Duval, Fengchuan Liu, Don Royer, Ingolf Heinrichsen, Joan Howard, Mark Shannon, Martha Kendall, Amy L. Walsh, Mark Larsen, Joel G. Cardon, Scott Schick, Mark Schwalm, Mohamed Abid, Beth Fabinsky, Larry Naes, Chao-Wei Tsai. 2010-07-30. The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE): Mission Description and Initial On-orbit Performance. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/140/6/1868

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