Mid-infrared Astronomy

Past 20 years & Future 20 years

August 27 (Tue) 10:00 AM - 28 (Wed) 17:00 PM (JST)

NAOJ, Mitaka, Tokyo, JAPAN

大型地上望遠鏡装置として活躍してきたSubaru/COMICSの共同利用も来年で一つの節目を迎えます。

一方で東京大学が推進するTAO/MIMIZUKUは2021年ごろから科学観測に用いられ、またTMT用観測装置MICHIも計画の実現に向けて動き始めています。本研究会は20年にわたるCOMICSの成果や教訓を総括し、MIMIZUKUやMICHIで行うサイエンスを明確化し、さらに今後の観測研究の方向性について議論する機会として企画されたものです。

Ground-based mid-infrared astronomy is at a major turning point. Subaru/COMICS, which is one of the longest-serving and therefore probably the most heavily used mid-infrared instruments in the world, will be decommissioned as of the semester S20B. On the other hand, a new mid-infrared instrument MIMIZUKU developed for the 6.5-m TAO telescope will start its science operation around 2021. The next flagship mid-infrared instrument MICHI for TMT is also firmly taking shape. This workshop“Mid-infrared Astronomy ?Past 20 years and Future 20 years” is designed to summarize achievements and lessons learned in the 20-year history of Subaru/COMICS, to refine further the science cases for MIMIZUKU and MICHI, and to discuss future directions for the ground-based mid-infrared astronomy in the next 20 years.