Ground-based observations in the ultraviolet part of the electromagnetic spectrum are notoriously difficult owing to absorption of the atmosphere, of optical elements and the poorer efficiency of detectors. Now that CCD detectors with excellent UV response and cosmetic quality have become available, it was time to optimise FORS1 for imaging, low-resolution spectroscopic and polarimetric observations in the blue-UV. As a bonus, a new set of broadband filters with very high trans-mission and carefully defined filter bands were installed
