THE WIDE-FIELD INFRARED SURVEY EXPLORER (WISE): MISSION DESCRIPTION AND INITIAL ON-ORBIT PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The all sky surveys done by the Palomar Observatory Schmidt, the European Southern Observatory Schmidt, and
\nthe United Kingdom Schmidt, the InfraRed Astronomical Satellite, and the Two Micron All Sky Survey have
\nproven to be extremely useful tools for astronomy with value that lasts for decades. The Wide-field Infrared
\nSurvey Explorer (WISE) is mapping the whole sky following its launch on 2009 December 14. WISE began
\nsurveying the sky on 2010 January 14 and completed its first full coverage of the sky on July 17. The survey
\nwill continue to cover the sky a second time until the cryogen is exhausted (anticipated in 2010 November).
\nWISE is achieving 5σ point source sensitivities better than 0.08, 0.11, 1, and 6 mJy in unconfused regions on
\nthe ecliptic in bands centered at wavelengths of 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22μm. Sensitivity improves toward the ecliptic
\npoles due to denser coverage and lower zodiacal background. The angular resolution is 6".1, 6".4, 6".5, and 12".0 at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22μm, and the astrometric precision for high signal-to-noise sources is better than 0".15.
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