# Visible Multi Object Spectrograph

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Wide field imager and multi-object spectrograph at the VLT in Chile

VIMOS attached to VLT's *Melipal* (UT3)

The **Visible Multi-Object Spectrograph** (**VIMOS**) is a wide field imager and a multi-object [spectrograph](/source/Spectrograph) installed at the [European Southern Observatory](/source/European_Southern_Observatory)'s [Very Large Telescope](/source/Very_Large_Telescope) (VLT), in Chile. The instrument used for deep astronomical surveys delivers visible images and spectra of up to 1,000 galaxies at a time.[1][2] VIMOS images four rectangular areas of the sky, 7 by 8 [arcminutes](/source/Arcminutes) each, with gaps of 2 arcminutes between them.[1] Its [principal investigator](/source/Principal_investigator) was [Olivier Le Fèvre](/source/Olivier_Le_F%C3%A8vre).

The Franco-Italian instrument operates in the visible part of the spectrum from 360 to 1000 [nanometers](/source/Nanometer) (nm). In the conceptual design phase, the [multi-object spectrograph](/source/Multi-Object_Spectrometer) then called VIRMOS included an additional instrument, NIMOS, operating in the near-infrared spectrum of 1100–1800 nm.[3]

Operating in the three different observation modes, direct imaging, multi-slit spectroscopy, and integral field spectroscopy, the main objective of the instrument is to study the early universe through massive [redshift surveys](/source/Redshift_survey), such as the [VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey](/source/VIMOS-VLT_Deep_Survey).[4]

VIMOS saw its [first light](/source/First_light_(astronomy)) on 26 February 2002, and has since been mounted on the Nasmyth B focus of VLT's *Melipal* unit telescope (UT3).[5][6]

It was retired in 2018 to make space for the return of CRIRES+.[7]

## Gallery

		- Galaxy [NGC 7424](/source/NGC_7424) seen by VIMOS

		- VIMOS takes its [first light image](/source/First_light_(astronomy)) of galaxy [NGC 5364](/source/NGC_5364)

		- A triplet of galaxies seen by VIMOS

		- The [Antennae Galaxies](/source/Antennae_Galaxies), one of VIMOS' first images

		- The [Chandra Deep Field South](/source/Chandra_Deep_Field_South)

		- VIMOS images the 500 million light years distant [galaxy cluster](/source/Galaxy_groups_and_clusters) *ACO 3341*

		- Galaxy *NGC 2613*, a [spiral galaxy](/source/Spiral_galaxy) that resembles our own [Milky Way](/source/Milky_Way)

		- VIMOS sees cluster [NGC 6118](/source/NGC_6118) at a distance of 80 million light-years

		- [Messier 100](/source/Messier_100) seen in different filters by VIMOS (left) and [FORS 1](/source/Very_Large_Telescope#Instruments). *(Note supernova [SN 2006X](/source/SN_2006X) in the middle of the right image, just above the lower main spiral arm)*.

		- Visualization of the [Hyperion proto-supercluster](/source/Hyperion_proto-supercluster) found within [COSMOS](/source/Cosmic_Evolution_Survey) seen by VIMOS.[8]

		- Close-up of VIMOS

## See also

- [List of instruments at the Very Large Telescope](/source/List_of_instruments_at_the_Very_Large_Telescope)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-vimos_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-vimos_1-1) ["VIMOS – Visible Multi Object Spectrograph (Summary)"](https://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/instruments/vimos.html). *ESO*. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["VIMOS – General Description (Overview)"](https://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/instruments/vimos/overview.html). *ESO*. 23 March 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["VIMOS and NIRMOS: Status Report"](https://www.eso.org/sci/publications/messenger/archive/no.91-mar98/messenger-no91-16-17.pdf) (PDF). *ESO*. March 1998.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-eso0804_4-0)** ["New Light on Dark Energy—Probing the cosmic Web of the Universe"](https://www.eso.org/public/unitedkingdom/news/eso0804/). *ESO* (eso0804, Science Release). 30 January 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["VIMOS—Visible Multi-Object Spectrograph"](https://www.eso.org/public/unitedkingdom/teles-instr/vlt/vlt-instr/vimos/). *ESO*. Retrieved 2 August 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-eso0209_6-0)** ["VIMOS—a Cosmology Machine for the VLT. Successful Test Observations With Powerful New Instrument at Paranal"](https://www.eso.org/public/unitedkingdom/news/eso0209/). *ESO* (eso0209, Science Release). 13 March 2002.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Paranal_–_decommissioned_instrument_7-0)** ["Paranal – decommissioned instruments"](https://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/decommissioned.html). Retrieved 21 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [*Largest Galaxy Proto-Supercluster Found - Astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope uncover a cosmic titan lurking in the early Universe*](https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1833), [European Southern Observatory](/source/European_Southern_Observatory) (ESO), 17 October 2018, Science Release eso1833, retrieved 19 October 2018

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