What is the name of the ultraviolet spectrometer on Voyager?

The ultraviolet spectrometer on Voyager is called the Ultraviolet Spectrometer, abbreviated UVS. It was designed to measure ultraviolet radiation and investigate properties of planetary and satellite atmospheres.

UVS complemented Voyager’s other spectrometers. The Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer and Radiometer examined infrared wavelengths, while UVS focused on the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum. Comparing observations across these ranges helped scientists study atmospheric composition, temperature, and how gases interacted with sunlight.

The instrument was useful during planetary encounters and also for observations between planets. Ultraviolet measurements can reveal gases and radiation that are difficult or impossible to study using visible-light cameras. A common mix-up is to confuse UVS with Voyager’s Plasma Spectrometer, which measured charged particles, or its Cosmic Ray System, which studied energetic particles. UVS was an optical sensing instrument, not a particle detector.