Since 1999, research into space and astrophysics has been progressing rapidly. We have come to discover that only a small percentage of the universe is composed of the atoms and other forms of matter that we know of, whereas dark matter and dark energy, which accounts for most of the universe, are still a mystery to humankind. By studying and clarifying the true nature of these phenomena, we expect to find promising clues about the origins and the future of the universe. Astrophysicists hope to accelerate their research efforts by using observation systems offering fields of view that are wider than the Subaru's SC (Suprime-Cam).
The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) has worked to develop an ultra-wide-field prime-focus camera called the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC). The new HSC offers an expanded field of view to enable the observation of more galaxies, including distant ones that emit little light, across a broader region of the universe in a shorter amount of time. Observations by the HSC will help scientists calculate the dimensions of galaxies with higher accuracy and create 3-D spatial distribution maps of dark matter based on distortions of stellar images caused by the effect of gravitational lensing.*2 These advances are expected to shed light on the true nature of dark matter and dark energy.
Canon was in charge of developing and manufacturing the corrector for the HSC ultra-wide-field prime-focus camera. In order to install the HSC into the existing configuration of the Subaru Telescope, the company had to design the prime-focus corrector under severe weight and dimensional constraints. Tougher still, Canon also had to achieve a targeted field of view of 1.5 degrees without exceeding these constraints. The HSC's field of view is triple that of the SC, wide enough to capture the equivalent of three full moons at once.