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5.8. High Speed Photometer (HSP)

The High Speed Photometer (9) was able to take measurements in the optical and UV at rates up to 105 Hz. It could also measure very low amplitude variability and linear polarization. It was the only instrument on board HST without moving parts. HSP had four Image Dissector Tubes (IDT), three were used for photometric measurements and one for polarimetry. The photomultiplier tube was used simultaneously with one of the IDTs. The time resolution was around 1ms. HSP had 23 filters covering from 1200Å to 7500Å.

Three science collecting modes were available: single color photometry, star-sky photometry and area scans.

During the first servicing mission the HSP was replaced by COSTAR.


9 Archival instrument.