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Introduction - Optical Monitor Camera - Observing Program

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     The ESA scientific mission INTEGRAL (The International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) is dedicated to the fine spectroscopy and fine imaging of celestial gamma-ray sources in the energy range 15 keV to 10 MeV with concurrent monitoring in the X-ray (3-35 keV) and optical (V-band) energy range.
The Optical Monitoring Camera (OMC) is a 20 kg class instrument mounted on the top of the INTEGRAL payload module. A 6 lens telephoto optical system is imaging stellar objects on a CCD detector mounted in a Focal Plane Assembly. An optical baffle provides the necessary reduction of stray-light. A once-only deployable cover protected the optics from contamination during ground operations and early operations in orbit.

     OMC has been contributed by the following European institutes: Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial (INTA - Madrid), Centre Spatial de Liège (CSL), Mullard Space Science Laboratory - University College London, University College Dublin - Dunsink Institute for Advanced Sciences, Astronomical Institute Ondrejov and University of Barcelona.
CSL was responsible for the optical and straylight cancellation design, the lens barrel, the baffle manufacturing, the door mechanism and environmental tests.

     The main OMC characteristics are:

• Field of view: 50 x 50 square
• Spectral range: V-band centred on 550 nm
• Focal length:153.7 mm (F/3.1)
• PSF: 21.5 arcsec FWHM in the operational thermal range

     For additional information about this instrument see the OMC web page at LAEFF.

INTEGRAL Optical Monitor Camera Flight Module

     The participation of the Liège University and of the Centre Spatial is supported through a PRODEX contract with the Belgian Science Policy.

     J.-P. Swings (IAG) is a co-investigator of the OMC consortium, which gave us access to Guaranteed Time for the Observing Program.