VINCI: the VLT Interferometer commissioning instrument

Pierre Kervella; Vincent Coude du Foresto; Andreas Glindemann; Reiner Hofmann

doi:10.1117/12.390227

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5 July 2000 VINCI: the VLT Interferometer commissioning instrument

Pierre Kervella, Vincent Coude du Foresto, Andreas Glindemann, Reiner Hofmann

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Proceedings Volume 4006, Interferometry in Optical Astronomy; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.390227
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2000, Munich, Germany

Abstract

The Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) is a complex system, made of a large number of separated elements. To prepare an early successful operation, it will require a period of extensive testing and verification to ensure that the many devices involved work properly together, and can produce meaningful data. This paper describes the concept chosen for the VLTI commissioning instrument, LEONARDO da VINCI, and details its functionalities. It is a fiber based two-way beam combiner, associated with an artificial star and an alignment verification unit. The technical commissioning of the VLTI is foreseen as a stepwise process: fringes will first be obtained with the commissioning instrument in an autonomous mode (no other parts of the VLTI involved); then the VLTI telescopes and optical trains will be tested in autocollimation; finally fringes will be observed on the sky.

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Pierre Kervella, Vincent Coude du Foresto, Andreas Glindemann, and Reiner Hofmann "VINCI: the VLT Interferometer commissioning instrument", Proc. SPIE 4006, Interferometry in Optical Astronomy, (5 July 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.390227

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