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
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 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
X-SHOOTER

UV-optical-NIR
300 - 2500 nm

echelle, slit

~5000-17000

no

full spectral coverage with one pointing; slit; RRM

VLT UT3
CRIRES near-IR 0.95-5.3 µm echelle, slit spectroscopy, spectro-polarimetry ~40,000-80,000 no

AO assisted, 29 wavelength settings, 0.2"x10" and 0.4"x10" slits, gas cells for precision RV measurements, linear and circular polarimetry below 2500 nm.

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
ERIS near-IR 1-5 µm imaging, coronagraphy: apodizing phase plate (K/L-band only), sparse aperture mask interferometry, integral field spectroscopy (JHK) 5000-11200 (IFS) no
AO modes: NGS, LGS, LGS-SE, noAO VLT UT4
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 ~ 20, 500, & 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

4.5 - 5 µm

8 - 13 µm

spectro-interferometry

R ~ 30 (covers L&M-band)

R ~ 506, 959, 3666 (L or M band)

R ~ 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 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