The ESO Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera (EFOSC)

In the year 1981, the Instrumentation Group, then unter the direction of D. Enard, started a design study for a Low Dispersion Spectrograph for the ESO 3.6 m telescope. In September 1982, adecision was taken for a Focal Reducer type instrument at the Cassegrain focus. Prestudies, including flexure analysis and optical design, were completed early in 1983. Integration tests started in Garching in the beginning of 1984; a first telescope test was performed successfully in June 1984. H. Dekker was project manager. S. D'Odorico, who became Head of the Optical Instrumentation Group in 1983, provided the overall guidance in the integration and astronomicai test phases. B. Delabre was responsible for the optical design. J. Paureau and G. Hess designed the mechanics and the structure and W. Nees and B. Gustafsson were responsible for electronics and control software. During the test phase, B. Buzzoni did the integration and R. Reiss installed and tuned the CCD. P. Focardi helped reducing and assessing the quality of the test observations. The instrument will be available for general use in low dispersion spectroscopy and direct imaging modes from April 1985. Manuals are in preparation and will be available at this date (1), (2). Multiple object spectroscopy will probably be offered six months later.