News from the CFHT/ESPaDOnS spectropolarimeter

TL;DR

This paper summarizes recent upgrades and operational insights of the ESPaDOnS spectropolarimeter at CFHT, highlighting new functionalities, data analysis improvements, and collaborative use with Gemini for enhanced astronomical observations.

Contribution

It introduces new operational features and analysis tools for ESPaDOnS, improving data quality and expanding its scientific capabilities since 2004.

Findings

Implementation of signal-to-noise ratio based observing

Detection and correction of nightly radial velocity drifts

Development of the OPERA data reduction pipeline

Abstract

The ESPaDOnS spectropolarimeter has been in use on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) since 2004, for studying stars, galactic objects and planets. ESPaDOnS is used in queued service observing mode since 2008, which allows an optimization of the science outcome. In this article, we summarize the new functionalities and analyses made on ESPaDOnS operations and data for the present and future users. These modifications include: signal-to-noise ratio based observing, radial velocity nightly drifts, the OPERA pipeline under development, the measurement of H2O content in the Maunakea sky, and the use of ESPaDOnS with the neighbour telescope Gemini.