3.2 Instrument Capabilities

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HRC has been unavailable since January 2007. Information about the HRC is provided for archival purposes. Please check for updates on the ACS website.

WFC is offered as shared risk in Cycle 33 and may receive minimal calibration. See the ACS website, Call for Proposals, and OPCR webpage for the latest status.


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.



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