Search results for "Very Large Telescope"
showing 5 items of 5 documents
The 2-μm spectroscopy of Huygens probe landing site on Titan with Very Large Telescope/Nasmyth Adaptive Optics System Near-Infrared Imager and Spectr…
2007
[1] Several ground-based telescopes followed the event of the Huygens probe descent through Titan's atmosphere (14 January 2005). We used the Nasmyth Adaptive Optics System Near-Infrared Imager and Spectrograph (NACO) adaptive optics system at the UT-4 of the Very Large Telescope in Chile to perform both spectroscopic and imaging measurements of Titan. We present here a selected sample of the spectra we acquired on 16 January 2005 in the K band between 2.03 and 2.40 μm. Our spectra include the Huygens landing site and surrounding dark and bright areas. We apply a radiative transfer code using new methane absorption coefficients calculated in the 2-μm region. The analysis of the data yields …
Wisps in the Galactic center: Near-infrared triggered observations of the radio source Sgr A* at 43 GHz
2016
Context. The compact radio and near-infrared (NIR) source Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) associated with the supermassive black hole in the Galactic center was observed at 7 mm in the context of a NIR triggered global Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) campaign. Aims. Sgr A* shows variable flux densities ranging from radio through X-rays. These variations sometimes appear in spontaneous outbursts that are referred to as flares. Multi-frequency observations of Sgr A* provide access to easily observable parameters that can test the currently accepted models that try to explain these intensity outbursts. Methods. On May 16-18, 2012 Sgr A* has been observed with the VLBA at 7 mm (43 GHz) for 6 hours each…
DR Tauri: Temporal variability of the brightness distribution in the potential planet-forming region
2015
We investigate the variability of the brightness distribution and the changing density structure of the protoplanetary disk around DR Tau, a classical T Tauri star. DR Tau is known for its peculiar variations from the ultraviolet (UV) to the mid-infrared (MIR). Our goal is to constrain the temporal variation of the disk structure based on photometric and MIR interferometric data. We observed DR Tau with the MID-infrared Interferometric instrument (MIDI) at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at three epochs separated by about nine years, two months, respectively. We fit the spectral energy distribution and the MIR visibilities with radiative transfer simulations. We are able to r…
VLTI-PIONIER imaging of the red supergiant V602 Carinae
2020
Context. Red supergiant stars possess surface features and extended molecular atmospheres. Photospheric convection may be a crucial factor of the levitation of the outer atmospheric layers. However, the mechanism responsible is still poorly understood. Aims. We image the stellar surface of V602 Carinae (V602 Car) to constrain the morphology and contrast of the surface features and of the extended atmospheric layers. Methods. We observed V602 Car with the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) PIONIER instrument (1.53-1.78 $\mathrm{\mu}$m) between May and July 2016, and April and July 2019 with different telescope configurations. We compared the image reconstructions with 81 temporal sna…
Multi-epoch VLTI-PIONIER imaging of the supergiant V766 Cen
2017
Context. The star V766 Cen (=HR 5171A) was originally classified as a yellow hypergiant but lately found to more likely be a 27-36 M red supergiant (RSG). Recent observations indicated a close eclipsing companion in the contact or common-envelope phase. Aims. Here, we aim at imaging observations of V766 Cen to confirm the presence of the close companion. Methods. We used near-infrared H-band aperture synthesis imaging at three epochs in 2014, 2016, and 2017, employing the PIONIER instrument at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). Results. The visibility data indicate a mean Rosseland angular diameter of 4.1 ± 0.8 mas, corresponding to a radius of 1575 ± 400 R. The data show an ex…