Widefield IR Imaging at Dome C

European Southern Observatory, Karl-Swarzschild Str. 2, Garching bei Muenchen, 85748 Munich, Germany

Abstract

The characteristics required of a Dome-C widefield IR imaging facility in order to compete with ground and space-based telescopes are discussed. Although the K-dark filter offers an opportunity for a 2 m-class facility to compete with much larger survey telescopes, a diameter approaching 8 m together with an ambitious focal plane are required if such a facility is to be competitive with near-term space facilities in the thermal IR.