ACS Instrument Handbook
Version 24.0 – December 2024
PDF version
Advanced Camera for Surveys Instrument Handbook for Cycle 33
(With Historical Information for the Inoperative HRC Channel)
User Support
Please contact the HST Help Desk for assistance. We encourage users to access the web portal where you can submit your questions directly to the appropriate team of experts.
- Web: http://hsthelp.stsci.edu
- E-mail: help@stsci.edu
Additional Resources
Information and other resources are available from the STScI website:
Revision History
Version | Date | Editors |
|---|---|---|
| 24.0 | December 2024 | Stark, D. V. et al. |
| 23.0 | December 2023 | Ryon, J. E., Stark, D. V., et al. |
| 22.0 | March 2023 | Ryon, J. E., et al. |
| 21.0 | January 2022 | Ryon, J. E., et al. |
| 20.0 | January 2021 | Ryon, J. E., et al. |
| 19.0 | December 2019 | Ryon, J. E., et al. |
18.0 | January 2019 | Ryon, J. E., et al. |
17.0 | May 2018 | Ryon, J. E., et al. |
16.0 | January 2017 | Avila, R., et al. |
15.0 | January 2016 | Avila, R., et al. |
14.0 | January 2015 | Avila, R., et al. |
13.0 | January 2014 | Ubeda, L., et al. |
12.0 | December 2012 | Ubeda, L., et al. |
11.0 | December 2011 | Ubeda, L., et al. |
10.0 | December 2010 | Maybhate, A. and Armstrong, A., et al. |
9.0 | January 2010 | Maybhate, A., et al. |
8.0 | December 2007 | Boffi, F.R., et al. |
7.1 | December 2006 | Pavlovsky, C. et al. |
7.0 | October 2006 | Pavlovsky, C., et al. |
6.0 | October 2005 | Gonzaga, S., et al. |
5.0 | October 2004 | Pavlovsky, C., et al. |
4.0 | October 2003 | Pavlovsky, C., et al. |
3.0 | October 2002 | Pavlovsky, C., et al. |
2.1 | July 2001 | Pavlovsky, C., et al. |
2.0 | June 2001 | Suchkov, A., et al. |
1.0 | June 2000 | Jedrzejewski, R., et al. |
Citation
In publications, refer to this document as:
- Stark, D. V., et al. 2024, “ACS Instrument Handbook,” Version 24.0 (Baltimore: STScI)
-
ACS Instrument Handbook
- • Acknowledgments
- • Change Log
- • Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Considerations and Changes After SM4
- Chapter 3: ACS Capabilities, Design and Operations
- Chapter 4: Detector Performance
- Chapter 5: Imaging
- Chapter 6: Polarimetry, Coronagraphy, Prism and Grism Spectroscopy
-
Chapter 7: Observing Techniques
- • 7.1 Designing an ACS Observing Proposal
- • 7.2 SBC Bright Object Protection
- • 7.3 Operating Modes
- • 7.4 Patterns and Dithering
- • 7.5 A Road Map for Optimizing Observations
- • 7.6 CCD Gain Selection
- • 7.7 ACS Apertures
- • 7.8 Specifying Orientation on the Sky
- • 7.9 Parallel Observations
- • 7.10 Pointing Stability for Moving Targets
- Chapter 8: Overheads and Orbit-Time Determination
- Chapter 9: Exposure-Time Calculations
-
Chapter 10: Imaging Reference Material
- • 10.1 Introduction
- • 10.2 Using the Information in this Chapter
-
10.3 Throughputs and Correction Tables
- • WFC F435W
- • WFC F475W
- • WFC F502N
- • WFC F550M
- • WFC F555W
- • WFC F606W
- • WFC F625W
- • WFC F658N
- • WFC F660N
- • WFC F775W
- • WFC F814W
- • WFC F850LP
- • WFC G800L
- • WFC CLEAR
- • HRC F220W
- • HRC F250W
- • HRC F330W
- • HRC F344N
- • HRC F435W
- • HRC F475W
- • HRC F502N
- • HRC F550M
- • HRC F555W
- • HRC F606W
- • HRC F625W
- • HRC F658N
- • HRC F660N
- • HRC F775W
- • HRC F814W
- • HRC F850LP
- • HRC F892N
- • HRC G800L
- • HRC PR200L
- • HRC CLEAR
- • SBC F115LP
- • SBC F122M
- • SBC F125LP
- • SBC F140LP
- • SBC F150LP
- • SBC F165LP
- • SBC PR110L
- • SBC PR130L
- • 10.4 Geometric Distortion in ACS
- • Glossary