The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (wise): Mission description and initial on-orbit performance

Edward L. Wright; Peter R.M. Eisenhardt; Amy K. Mainzer; Michael E. Ressler; Roc M. Cutri; Thomas Jarrett; J. Davy Kirkpatrick; Deborah Padgett; Robert S. McMillan; Michael Skrutskie; S. A. Stanford; Martin Cohen; Russell G. Walker; John C. Mather; David Leisawitz; Thomas N. Gautier; Ian McLean; Dominic Benford; Carol J. Lonsdale; Andrew Blain; Bryan Mendez; William R. Irace; Valerie Duval; Fengchuan Liu; Don Royer; Ingolf Heinrichsen; Joan Howard; Mark Shannon; Martha Kendall; Amy L. Walsh; Mark Larsen; Joel G. Cardon; Scott Schick; Mark Schwalm; Mohamed Abid; Beth Fabinsky; Larry Naes; Chao Wei Tsai

doi:10.1088/0004-6256/140/6/1868

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (wise): Mission description and initial on-orbit performance

Edward L. Wright, Peter R.M. Eisenhardt, Amy K. Mainzer, Michael E. Ressler, Roc M. Cutri, Thomas Jarrett, J. Davy Kirkpatrick, Deborah Padgett, Robert S. McMillan, Michael Skrutskie, S. A. Stanford, Martin Cohen, Russell G. Walker, John C. Mather, David Leisawitz, Thomas N. Gautier, Ian McLean, Dominic Benford, Carol J. Lonsdale, Andrew BlainBryan Mendez, William R. Irace, Valerie Duval, Fengchuan Liu, Don Royer, Ingolf Heinrichsen, Joan Howard, Mark Shannon, Martha Kendall, Amy L. Walsh, Mark Larsen, Joel G. Cardon, Scott Schick, Mark Schwalm, Mohamed Abid, Beth Fabinsky, Larry Naes, Chao Wei Tsai

Lunar and Planetary Lab

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6497 Scopus citations

Abstract

The all sky surveys done by the Palomar Observatory Schmidt, the European Southern Observatory Schmidt, and the United Kingdom Schmidt, the InfraRed Astronomical Satellite, and the Two Micron All Sky Survey have proven to be extremely useful tools for astronomy with value that lasts for decades. The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) is mapping the whole sky following its launch on 2009 December 14. WISE began surveying the sky on 2010 January 14 and completed its first full coverage of the sky on July 17. The survey will continue to cover the sky a second time until the cryogen is exhausted (anticipated in 2010 November). WISE is achieving 5σ point source sensitivities better than 0.08, 0.11, 1, and 6 mJy in unconfused regions on the ecliptic in bands centered at wavelengths of 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22μm. Sensitivity improves toward the ecliptic poles due to denser coverage and lower zodiacal background. The angular resolution is 6″.1, 6″.4, 6″.5, and 12″.0 at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22μm, and the astrometric precision for high signal-to-noise sources is better than 0″.15.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1868-1881
Number of pages	14
Journal	Astronomical Journal
Volume	140
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/140/6/1868
State	Published - Dec 2010

Keywords

Infrared: general
Space vehicles
Surveys

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1088/0004-6256/140/6/1868

Cite this

Wright, E. L., Eisenhardt, P. R. M., Mainzer, A. K., Ressler, M. E., Cutri, R. M., Jarrett, T., Kirkpatrick, J. D., Padgett, D., McMillan, R. S., Skrutskie, M., Stanford, S. A., Cohen, M., Walker, R. G., Mather, J. C., Leisawitz, D., Gautier, T. N., McLean, I., Benford, D., Lonsdale, C. J., ... Tsai, C. W. (2010). The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (wise): Mission description and initial on-orbit performance. Astronomical Journal, 140(6), 1868-1881. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/140/6/1868

Wright, EL, Eisenhardt, PRM, Mainzer, AK, Ressler, ME, Cutri, RM, Jarrett, T, Kirkpatrick, JD, Padgett, D, McMillan, RS, Skrutskie, M, Stanford, SA, Cohen, M, Walker, RG, Mather, JC, Leisawitz, D, Gautier, TN, McLean, I, Benford, D, Lonsdale, CJ, Blain, A, Mendez, B, Irace, WR, Duval, V, Liu, F, Royer, D, Heinrichsen, I, Howard, J, Shannon, M, Kendall, M, Walsh, AL, Larsen, M, Cardon, JG, Schick, S, Schwalm, M, Abid, M, Fabinsky, B, Naes, L & Tsai, CW 2010, 'The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (wise): Mission description and initial on-orbit performance', Astronomical Journal, vol. 140, no. 6, pp. 1868-1881. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/140/6/1868

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title = "The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (wise): Mission description and initial on-orbit performance",

abstract = "The all sky surveys done by the Palomar Observatory Schmidt, the European Southern Observatory Schmidt, and the United Kingdom Schmidt, the InfraRed Astronomical Satellite, and the Two Micron All Sky Survey have proven to be extremely useful tools for astronomy with value that lasts for decades. The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) is mapping the whole sky following its launch on 2009 December 14. WISE began surveying the sky on 2010 January 14 and completed its first full coverage of the sky on July 17. The survey will continue to cover the sky a second time until the cryogen is exhausted (anticipated in 2010 November). WISE is achieving 5σ point source sensitivities better than 0.08, 0.11, 1, and 6 mJy in unconfused regions on the ecliptic in bands centered at wavelengths of 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22μm. Sensitivity improves toward the ecliptic poles due to denser coverage and lower zodiacal background. The angular resolution is 6″.1, 6″.4, 6″.5, and 12″.0 at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22μm, and the astrometric precision for high signal-to-noise sources is better than 0″.15.",

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author = "Wright, {Edward L.} and Eisenhardt, {Peter R.M.} and Mainzer, {Amy K.} and Ressler, {Michael E.} and Cutri, {Roc M.} and Thomas Jarrett and Kirkpatrick, {J. Davy} and Deborah Padgett and McMillan, {Robert S.} and Michael Skrutskie and Stanford, {S. A.} and Martin Cohen and Walker, {Russell G.} and Mather, {John C.} and David Leisawitz and Gautier, {Thomas N.} and Ian McLean and Dominic Benford and Lonsdale, {Carol J.} and Andrew Blain and Bryan Mendez and Irace, {William R.} and Valerie Duval and Fengchuan Liu and Don Royer and Ingolf Heinrichsen and Joan Howard and Mark Shannon and Martha Kendall and Walsh, {Amy L.} and Mark Larsen and Cardon, {Joel G.} and Scott Schick and Mark Schwalm and Mohamed Abid and Beth Fabinsky and Larry Naes and Tsai, {Chao Wei}",

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T2 - Mission description and initial on-orbit performance

AU - Wright, Edward L.

AU - Eisenhardt, Peter R.M.

AU - Mainzer, Amy K.

AU - Ressler, Michael E.

AU - Cutri, Roc M.

AU - Jarrett, Thomas

AU - Kirkpatrick, J. Davy

AU - Padgett, Deborah

AU - McMillan, Robert S.

AU - Skrutskie, Michael

AU - Stanford, S. A.

AU - Cohen, Martin

AU - Walker, Russell G.

AU - Mather, John C.

AU - Leisawitz, David

AU - Gautier, Thomas N.

AU - McLean, Ian

AU - Benford, Dominic

AU - Lonsdale, Carol J.

AU - Blain, Andrew

AU - Mendez, Bryan

AU - Irace, William R.

AU - Duval, Valerie

AU - Liu, Fengchuan

AU - Royer, Don

AU - Heinrichsen, Ingolf

AU - Howard, Joan

AU - Shannon, Mark

AU - Kendall, Martha

AU - Walsh, Amy L.

AU - Larsen, Mark

AU - Cardon, Joel G.

AU - Schick, Scott

AU - Schwalm, Mark

AU - Abid, Mohamed

AU - Fabinsky, Beth

AU - Naes, Larry

AU - Tsai, Chao Wei

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The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (wise): Mission description and initial on-orbit performance

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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WISE Extended Observations: Continuum (2D)

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The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (wise): Mission description and initial on-orbit performance

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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Fingerprint

Datasets

WISE Extended Observations: Continuum (2D)

Cite this