Science with large-aperture infrared interferometry — size does matter or talking about a new tool to study the galactic center

We report on the recent pioneering successes in observing sources at the center of our Galaxy with infrared long-baseline interferometry. The 1st generation beam-combiners AMBER and MIDI of the VLTI have been used to resolve the IR-brightest sources in the central parsec at low spectral resolution. In the NIR, a program was initiated to study the supergiant GCIRS 7, and first data might indicate a resolved circumstellar shell. Nevertheless the large amount of correlated flux on the 50 m baseline gives strong experimental support for future phase-referencing missions based on this star. Further, the results of a detailed MIDI-study of the complex dusty environment of the enigmatic GCIRS 3 are presented. The spatial and spectral information provided by the interferometer allows for the first time to estimate the physical properties of the illuminating source, deeply embedded in dust, and has led to new insights in the dust chemistry in the central parsec. Current, and near-future interferometric technology is discussed with respect to Galactic center observations.