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A&A 365, L36-L44 (2001)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20000044

The XMM-Newton optical/UV monitor telescope

K. O. Mason¹, A. Breeveld¹, R. Much², M. Carter¹, F. A. Cordova³, M. S. Cropper¹, J. Fordham⁴, H. Huckle¹, C. Ho⁵, H. Kawakami¹, J. Kennea³, T. Kennedy¹, J. Mittaz¹, D. Pandel³, W. C. Priedhorsky⁵, T. Sasseen³, R. Shirey³, P. Smith¹ and J.-M. Vreux⁶.

¹  Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK
²  Astrophysics Division, Space Science Department of ESA, PO Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands
³  Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
⁴  Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK
⁵  Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
⁶  Institut d'Astrophysique et de Géophysique, Université de Liège, 5 avenue de Cointe, 4000-Liège, Belgium

(Received 2 October 2000 / Accepted 20 October 2000)

Abstract
The XMM-OM instrument extends the spectral coverage of the XMM-Newton observatory into the ultraviolet and optical range. It provides imaging and time-resolved data on targets simultaneously with observations in the EPIC and RGS. It also has the ability to track stars in its field of view, thus providing an improved post-facto aspect solution for the spacecraft. An overview of the XMM-OM and its operation is given, together with current information on the performance of the instrument.

Key words: space vehicles: instruments -instrumentation: detectors -ultraviolet: general

Offprint request: K. O. Mason, kom@mssl.ucl.ac.uk

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© ESO 2001