FLECHAS - A new échelle spectrograph at the University Observatory Jena

The new échelle spectrograph FLECHAS (Fibre Linked ECHelle Astronomical Spectrograph) is in operation at the Nasmyth-focus of the 0.9 m telescope of the University Observatory Jena. FLECHAS is equipped with a sensitive back-illuminated and midband coated CCD-detector, as well as with a calibration unit for flatfield and wavelength-calibration. The spectrograph covers the spectral range between about 3900 and 8100 Åand exhibits a resolving power of R∼9300. In this article all technical characteristics of FLECHAS are described and examples of the first astronomical observations obtained with the new instrument in July 2013 at the University Observatory Jena are presented, among them the first light spectra taken with FLECHAS, simultaneous imaging and spectroscopic observations, the determination of the detection limit of the instrument, the spectroscopy of stars of different spectral types and of faint extended objects, as well as the Li-line detection in the spectra of young solar-like stars.

Based on observations obtained with telescopes of the University Observatory Jena, which is operated by the Astrophysical Institute of the Friedrich-Schiller-University.