The development of a novel static Fourier-transform spectrometer based on two Wollaston prisms, two polarizers, and a compact two-dimensional detector array is described. The wavelength calibration is fixed by the geometry of the prisms and the detector array and is therefore inherently stable. The Wollaston prisms are fabricated from materials with opposite sign of birefringence which gives a significantly increased field of view compared with existing Wollaston prism based Fourier-transform spectrometers. The spectrometer operates in the visible region of the spectrum, has a resolution of350 cm−1, an aperture of6×4.6 mm, and a field of view of±10°. The optical assembly is interfaced to a laptop computer resulting in a rugged, portable instrument with no moving parts. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.