Status of the MIDI instrument and first scientific results
Abstract
The Mid-IR interferometric instrument MIDI has performed its first scientific observations on the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in June 2003. MIDI allows interferometric observations over the 8-13 micron wavelength range, with a spatial resolution ranging from 5 to 20 milliarcsec, a spectral resolution of 30 and 250, and a expected point source sensitivity of N = 4 mag (1 Jy). The instrument is particularly well suited to the study of dust shells and disks. It is able to resolve the location and geometry of the dusty circumstellar environment of young and evolved stars, and to study spatially and spectrally the innermost regions where dust survives. In a few scientific nights, MIDI has already provided beautiful results concerning disks around hot stars, ranging from Herbig AeBe stars to the famous LBV Eta Car. In particular, for the first time studies of the chemical composition of the dust embedded near and far from the central source is possible.
- Publication:
-
SF2A-2004: Semaine de l'Astrophysique Francaise
- Pub Date:
- December 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004sf2a.conf..141C