BIRCAM: A Near-Infrared Camera for The University of Wyoming Red Buttes Observatory

We describe the design and performance of a near-infrared camera for use at the University of Wyoming 24 inch telescope at Red Buttes Observatory. The camera makes use of a HAWAII-2 2048 × 20482048×2048 pixel HgCdTe array, sensitive from 0.9–2.5 μm. The array is operated with a Generation III controller from Astronomical Research Cameras and makes use of a General Use Multi-Channel Preamplifier from IRLabs. The camera optics consist of a compact 1:1 re-imaging Offner relay with a cold pupil mask and includes a nine-position filter wheel driven internally with a cryogenically conditioned steppermotor. The primary objective was to develop a low-cost system for testing the HAWAII-2 array and electronics that were acquired for a larger project, while at the same time providing a temporary near-infrared camera for use at Red Buttes Observatory. In this article we present various aspects of the mechanical construction, optics, electronics, and performance.