Near-infrared sky brightness monitor for the South Pole

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Abstract
The Antarctic plateau has the potential for being the best site on Earth for conducting astronomical observations from the near-infrared to the sub-millimeter. Particular gains are expected in the 1 to 5 micron region, where the high altitude, low water vapor content, and low thermal emission from the atmosphere combine to create observing conditions unequalled elsewhere on the surface of the earth. We describe an instrument, the infrared photometer- spectrometer (IRPS), that we are using to quantify site conditions at the South Pole by measuring the near-infrared sky brightness. We also describe some of the unique problems associated with building instruments to work in Antarctica.

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