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Fakultät für Physik der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
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Micado Logo Micado Cryo design 2016

Multi-AO Imaging Camera for Deep Observations for the ESO E-ELT (MICADO)

News: MICADO passed PDR! The MICADO consortium passed succefully the preliminary design review by the European Southern Observatory. For the USM, this would have not been possible without the continous funding support by by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grants 05A11WM1, 05A14WM1, 05A17WM1) which is gratefully acknowledged.

Micado Cryo design 2016
Design drawing of the current status of MICADO including MAORY (on top, red) as mounted on the Nasmyth platform of the ELT.
Credit: Micado-Consortium. Click on figure for enlarged view.


MICADO is the first light imager for the ESO Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) currently build on Cerro Armazones in Chile. MICADO is build by a huge consortium involving partners from Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands and Italy led by the Max-Planck-Institute for extraterrestrial physics in Garching (Project office web site). Our contribution to MICADO is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grants 05A11WM1, 05A14WM1, 05A17WM1) which is gratefully acknowledged.

MICADO will provide the ELT the capability for diffraction limited imaging at near-infrared wavelengths. It is designed to work with the multi-conjugate adaptive Optics system ( MAORY), build by the MAORY consortium, but also with a single-conjugate natural guide star adaptive optics system (SCAO). SCAO is a common effort of the MICADO and MAORY consortia. In addition SCAO can be used in a so called stand-alone mode, directly interfacing MICADO to the ELT using a temporary installed relay optic. See table below for some technical details. The figure shows the current design of the MICADO instrument mounted on the Nasmyth platform of the ELT in stand-alone mode. Figure gives an overview of the design also with MAORY in place.

The main drivers for the MICADO instrument design are sensitivity, resolution, precision astrometry, and wide wave-length coverage spectroscopy. These capabilities will allow for a large number of science topics to be adressed. The five main science drivers are covering the following themes:

  • galaxy evolution at high redshifts
  • black holes in galaxy centers (incl. the galactic center)
  • resolved stellar populations (photometry in galaxy nuclei, IMF in young star clusters, intermediate mass black holes in globular clusters)
  • coronographic imaging (e.g. of exo-planets)
  • solar system USM scientists are especially interested in the study of central supermassive black holes.

    To achieve these science goals, MICADO will provide four observing modes. The following modes will be implemented:
  • Standard Imaging: Low resolution 4mas/px, High resolution 1.5 mas/px, Wavelength range 0.8-2.4 micron.
  • Astrometric Imaging: same as standard imaging with special calibration to achieve astrometric precision of 50 microarcsec.
  • Coronographic Imaging: classical focal plane coronagraphy and pupil plane coronagraphy with an apodizing phase plate available.
  • Slit Spectroscopy: R~10000, slit width 16mas + 48mas, slit length 4 arcsec + long slit with 20 arcsec (only K-Band)

    Telescope ESO E-ELT 40-m telescope (Atacama desert)
    Instrument purpose diffraction limited (high resolution) NIR imager and spectrograph
    Wavelength region 0.8–2.4 μm (Near Infrared)
    Scale 4 and 1.5 milli arc sec/pixel
    Field of view 50″ × 50″ and 20″ × 20″
    Spectral resolution R ~ 10000
    Science drivers Milky Way centre, nearby galaxies, black holes, high-redshift galaxies
    USM duties and contributions • part of the cryostat mechanics
    • optics
    • electronics
    • control and preparation software
    In the MICADO consortium, the University Observatory of Munich is responsible for the following work-packages:
  • Development of a cryogenic mechanism
  • Instrument control electronics
  • Instrument control software
  • Observation preparation software

    Further informations may be found:
  • MICADO USM publications

    Acknowledgement: Our contribution to MICADO is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grants 05A11WM1, 05A14WM1, 05A17WM1) which is gratefully acknowledged.

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    • Letzte Änderung: 20. January 2019 durch U. Hopp (hopp .at. usm.lmu.de), webmaster: (webmaster .at. usm.lmu.de)
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