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,

VLT UT3

(full functionalities, likely in the 2nd half of Period 104)

MUSE


optical

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 UT1,

VLT UT2,

VLT UT3, or/and

VLT UT4

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