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About

Stephen Chittick is an instrumental figure in the development of next-generation astronomical instrumentation, with his work centered on the design, build, and integration of complex multi-object spectrographs for the Very Large Telescope (VLT). His primary contributions lie in the engineering of the MOONS (Multi-Object Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph) instrument, specifically its critical fibre positioning module (FPM). This system, which precisely configures 1,000 optical fibres using individual robotic positioners, is the mechanical heart of the instrument, enabling high-multiplexing spectroscopy across visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Chittick’s detailed overviews of the instrument’s assembly phase and integration status have been essential references for the astronomical community, with his most-cited papers accumulating over a dozen citations as the project nears completion. His work directly enables transformative science, from galactic archaeology to cosmology, by allowing astronomers to observe hundreds of celestial objects simultaneously. As MOONS approaches deployment, Chittick’s engineering achievements represent a foundational contribution to one of the most powerful multi-object spectrographs ever built for the VLT.