The Future of Massively Multiplexed Spectroscopy: The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer

  • Oct. 28, 2019, 2:00 pm US/Central
  • One West (WH 1W)
  • Jennifer Marshall, Texas A&M University

Results from modern wide-field astronomical imaging surveys have highlighted the need for large aperture, massively multiplexed spectroscopic followup facilities in the optical and near-Infrared wavelength regimes. Such a facility is the most obvious missing link in the emerging network of ground-based observational facilities world-wide. The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE) is a planned 11-m telescope facility designed to fill this scientific gap. MSE is an evolution of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and is completely dedicated to multi-object optical and near-Infrared spectroscopic surveys of millions of astrophysical objects at a range of spectral resolutions. In this talk I will review the current design status of the project and provide an overview of MSE’s wide range of scientific capabilities.