International Conference on Multi-object Spectroscopy in La Palma

The international astrophysics conference "Multi-Object Spectroscopy in the Next Decade. Big Questions, Large Surveys, and Wide Fields", organized by the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, will take place from 2nd to 6th March 2015 in the “Circle of Mars” Theatre in Santa Cruz de La Palma. Over 150 experts in the material will gather to discuss the main advances and scientific results from multi-object spectroscopy expected in the next decade.

Start date: 2 March, 2015 - 9:00
End date: 6 March, 2015 - 13:30
Location: Teatro Circo de Marte, Santa Cruz de La Palma.
Organizer: Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes

During the conference the main scientific objectives for the next decade will be discussed, optimization strategies will be explored for achieving results and solutions to the technological challenges posed by the development and operation of sophisticated multi-object spectrographs will be shared.

Special attention will be given to WEAVE, a powerful multi-object spectrograph, presently under construction (supported by the Severo Ochoa program), for the William Herschel Telescope (WHT) at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory. 

WEAVE was conceived as a response to those members of the European astronomical community who wanted a spectrograph of considerable power in order to make major surveys.  The result is an instrument with a field of view of two degrees (some 16 times as big as the full moon), and almost 1000 optical fibres, which will make WEAVE into a unique tool to take the fullest scientific advantage of the GAIA mission of the European Space Agency, and to study the evolution of the galaxies in the Universe. It is foreseen that WEAVE will be operational from 2018.