About

About WFC3

SouthernCrabNebula
Southern Crab Nebula imaged by WFC3 - Hubblesite.org

The Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) is a fourth-generation UVIS/IR imager aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). WFC3 was installed in May 2009 during HST servicing mission 4, and replaces the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2).

WFC3 is designed to ensure that HST maintains its powerful imaging capabilities until the end of its mission, while at the same time advancing its survey and discovery capability through WFC3’s combination of broad wavelength coverage, wide field of view, and high sensitivity. A key feature of WFC3 is its panchromatic wavelength coverage. By combining two optical/ultraviolet CCDs with a near-infrared HgCdTe array, WFC3 is capable of direct, high-resolution imaging over the entire wavelength range from 200 to 1700 nm. Equipped with a comprehensive range of wide-, intermediate-, and narrow-band filters, WFC3 has broad applicability to a variety of new astrophysical investigations.

WFC3 is a facility instrument. It was developed, constructed, characterized, and calibrated by an Integrated Product Team (IPT) led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and composed of staff astronomers and engineers from GSFC, STScI, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and other industrial contractors.

 

WFC3 Instrument Resources

Recently Published Documents

ISRs

View all ISRs

Filter WFC3 ISRs

Filter Results

STANs

View all STANs

Recently Published STANs

Filter Results

Gallery

Slideshow of WFC3 Images

Now showing slide 1 of 5

Hubble Ultra Deep Field 2014

Hubble Ultra Deep Field 2014

Learn more about this image at Hubblesite.org.

Saturn Opposition 2018

Learn more about this image at Hubblesite.org.

Southern Crab Nebula

Southern Crab Nebula

Learn more about this image at Hubblesite.org.

MACS J0416.1-2403

MACS J0416.1-2403

Learn more about this image at Hubblesite.org.

Bubble Nebula

Bubble Nebula

Learn more about this image at Hubblesite.org.

Last Updated: 12/18/2024

HST Help Desk

Please contact the HST Help Desk with any questions.