Title:
VINCI: the VLT Interferometer commissioning instrument
Authors:
Kervella, Pierre; Coude du Foresto, Vincent; Glindemann, Andreas; Hofmann, Reiner
Affiliation:
AA(European Southern Observatory) AB(Observatoire de Paris) AC(European Southern Observatory) AD(Max-Planck-Institut fuer Extraterrestrische Physik)
Journal:
Proc. SPIE Vol. 4006, p. 31-42, Interferometry in Optical Astronomy, Pierre J. Lena; Andreas Quirrenbach; Eds. (SPIE Homepage)
Publication Date:
07/2000
Origin:
SPIE
Abstract Copyright:
(c) 2000 SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Bibliographic Code:
2000SPIE.4006...31K

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.