KMOS is a second-generation instrument for the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT). KMOS is a collaboration between the STFC UK Astronomy Technology Centre, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxford University and Durham University. It is a unique design of a near-infrared multi-object spectrograph which uses deployable integral field units to obtain spatially-resolved spectra for multiple target objects selected from within an extended field of view.
KMOS will make use of integral-field spectroscopy to examine the physics of galaxies at the highest redshifts, its unique design will enable the study of the spectra of 24 objects simultaneously. Some of the areas of study will include:
Completion is expected in 2012.
