content long 18-June-2013 06:48:13

Instruments

VMC: Venus Monitoring Camera

The VMC camera consists of one unit that houses the optics, CCD and readout electronics (CRE), digital processing unit (DPU), and power converter (POC). The camera has four separate objective lens systems, each of which images a different, filter selected wavelength range onto a quadrant of a common 1032 × 1024 pixel Charge Coupled Device (CCD) detector. The field of view of the camera is 17.5 degrees (0.3 radians) and the image scale is 0.74 milliradians per pixel.

VMC filter parameters
Filter Centre wavelength (μm) Bandwidth (μm, FWHP) Observation goals
Dayside Nightside
F3 (UV) 0.365 0.04 Unknown UV absorber O2 nightglow at 0.356 & 0.376 μm
F4 (VIS) 0.513 0.05 Visible light imaging O2 nightglow at 0.376 μm
F5 (NIR1) 0.965 0.07 H2O at ~70 km H2O below 70 km, clouds
F6 (NIR2) 1.01 0.02 H2O below 70 km Surface, clouds

 

VMC optical design
VMC channel F4 (VIS) F5 (NIR1) F6 (NIR2) F3 (UV)
Focal length 13 mm 13 mm 13 mm 13 mm
F-number 5 5 5 7
Optics Three identical Cooke triplets + curved front filter Separate Cooke triplet + curved front filter

Last Update: 14 December 2012

For further information please contact: SciTech.editorial@esa.int

Related Articles

  • Introduction (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1440)
  • Instruments in Brief (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1441)
  • ASPERA-4: Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1442)
  • MAG: Magnetometer (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1443)
  • PFS: Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1444)
  • SPICAV: Spectroscopy for Investigation of Characteristics of the Atmosphere of Venus (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1445)
  • VeRa: Venus Radio Science (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1446)
  • VIRTIS: Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1447)
  • VMC: Venus Monitoring Camera (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=33964&fbodylongid=1448)

Related Links

  • MAG: Magnetometer (http://www.iwf.oeaw.ac.at/index.php?id=211&L=1)
  • PFS: Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (http://pfsweb.ifsi.rm.cnr.it/Venus.html)
  • VIRTIS: Spectrographic Mapper at Observatoire de Paris (http://virtis-vex.iasf-roma.inaf.it/)
  • VIRTIS: Spectrographic Mapper at IASF (http://venus-express.artov.rm.cnr.it)
  • VMC: Venus Monitoring Camera (http://www.mps.mpg.de/en/projekte/venus-express/vmc/)