3.2 Instrument Capabilities

ACS is a versatile instrument with a broad range of scientific capabilities: It was built with three channels, each optimized for a specific goal: 

• deep, wide-field imaging from visible to near-IR wavelengths with the Wide Field Channel (WFC) (in service March 2002 to present). 
• high spatial resolution imaging from near-UV to near-IR wavelengths with the High Resolution Channel (HRC) (in service March 2002 to January 2007). 
  
• solar-blind UV imaging with the Solar Blind Channel (SBC) (in service March 2002 to present). 

In addition to its primary capabilities listed above, ACS also provides:

• Grism spectroscopy: low resolution (R~100 @ 8000 Å) wide-field spectroscopy from 5500 Å to 10,500 Å with WFC (and HRC before January 2007).
• Prism spectroscopy: low resolution (R~100 @ 1500 Å) far-UV spectroscopy from 1250 Å to 1800 Å with SBC (and low resolution, R = 59 @ 2500 Å, near-UV spectroscopy from 1700 Å to 3900 Å with HRC before January 2007).
  
• Imaging polarimetry: polarimetric imaging with WFC (and HRC before January 2007) with relative polarization angles of 0°, 60°, and 120°.
  
• Imaging spectropolarimetry: polarimetric low resolution (R~100 @ 8000 Å) wide-field spectroscopy from 5500 Å to 8000 Å with WFC with relative polarization angles of 0°, 60°, and 120°.
• Coronagraphy (before January 2007): aberrated beam coronagraphy with HRC from 2000 Å to 11,000 Å with 1.8 arcsecond and 3.0 arcsecond diameter occulting spots.