Paranal: Instruments Summary Table
| Instrument | Spectral Coverage | Observing Mode | Spectral Resolution | Multiplex | Note | Telescope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORS2 | optical 330 - 1100 nm |
imaging (incl. configurable occulting bars), long slit and multi-object spectroscopy, spectropolarimetry, imaging polarimetry | 260 - 2600 | yes | Spectroscopy with ~7' long slit, ~20" multi-slit, and laser-cut slit masks; multiple object spectroscopy; RRM | VLT UT1 |
| KMOS | near-IR 0.8 - 2.5 µm |
multi-object integral field spectroscopy (24 arms) | 1800 - 4000 | yes | 24-arms Integral Field Spectroscopy; 2.8x2.8", 0.2" sampling IFU over a 7.2' field; | VLT UT1 |
| FLAMES | optical 370 - 950 nm |
multi-fibre echelle,integral field spectroscopy | 6000 - 47000 | yes | 132 Medusa fibres; 15 deployable IFUs, one large IFU; GIRAFFE: single echelle order; 8 fibres to UVES | VLT UT2 |
| X-SHOOTER | UV-optical-NIR 300 - 2500 nm |
echelle, slit and integral field spectroscopy | ~5000-17000 | no | full spectral coverage with one pointing; slit + IFU; RRM | VLT UT2 |
| UVES | optical 300 - 1100 nm |
echelle, image slicer, slit spectroscopy | up to 80,000 (blue arm) / 110,000 (red arm) | no | long slit capability in single order; iodine cell; RRM | VLT UT2 |
| SPHERE | optical: 500 - 900 nm near-IR: 0.95 - 2.32 µm |
high-contrast imaging, dual-band imaging, integral field spectroscopy, differential-polarimetric imaging with or without classical, apodized pupil Lyot coronagraphs, sparse aperture mask | ~30, 50, 400 | no | extreme AO with optical wave-front sensor; fast star hopping; RRM | VLT UT3 |
| HAWK-I | near-IR 0.85-2.5 µm | broand and narrow band imaging, fast photometry | - | - | pixel size of 0.106"; field: 7.5'x7.5', subwindow readout capability; GLAO; RRM | VLT UT4 |
| VISIR | mid-IR: 4.5 - 21 µm | M, N and Q band normal and burst-mode imaging; coronagraphy (Angular Groove Phase Mask, 4-Quadrant Phase Mask); N band low resolution long slit spectroscopy; high-resolution long slit and cross-dispersed spectroscopy | ~400, 20000 | no | pixel size of 0.045 and 0.076 arcsec in imaging, and 0.076 arcsec in spectroscopy | VLT UT4 (with limited functionalities) early in Period 104, (full functionalities, likely in the 2nd half of Period 104) |
| MUSE |
465 - 930 nm |
integral field spectroscopy | 1770 @ 480nm 3590 @ 930nm |
no | IFU size on sky 60"x60" with spaxel size 0.2" (WFM) or 7.5"x7.5" with spaxel size 0.025" (NFM); GLAO, LTAO, no AO; RRM. |
VLT UT4 |
| ESPRESSO | optical 380 - 788 nm |
fibre-fed échelle spectroscopy | 140,000, 190,000, or 70,000 (median) | no | 2 fibres (1 object, 1 sky or simultaneous reference); RV precision < 1 m/s (with the ultimate goal of reaching 10 cm/s); 1-UT and 4-UT modes |
VLT UT3, or/and |
| GRAVITY | near-IR 2.05 - 2.45 µm |
spectro-interferometry | R ~ 500 to 4000 | no |
4 beam combiner - delivers spectrally dispersed visibilities, differential and closure phases |
VLTI - ATs VLTI - UTs |
| MATISSE | mid-IR 2.8 - 4.1 µm and 8 - 13 µm |
spectro-interferometry | R ~ 30, 506, 959 (L band), 30, 218 (N band) | no | 4 beam combiner - delivers spectrally dispersed visibilities, differential and closure phases |
VLTI - ATs VLTI - UTs |
| PIONIER | near-IR 1.65 µm |
spectro - interferometry | R ~ 5 or 40 |
no | 4 beam combiner - delivers spectrally dispersed visibilities, differential and closure phases |
VLTI - ATs VLTI - UTs |
| VIRCAM | near-IR 0.8-2.2 µm |
imaging | - | - | 1.5 degree x 1 degree field of view with 0.34" average pixel size | VISTA |
| OmegaCAM | optical 350-910 nm | imaging | - | - | 1 degree x 1 degree unvignetted field of view with 0.21" pixel size | VST |