SPHERE: a planet finder instrument for the VLT

Jean-Luc Beuzit; Markus Feldt; Kjetil Dohlen; David Mouillet; Pascal Puget; Francois Wildi; Lyu Abe; Jacopo Antichi; Andrea Baruffolo; Pierre Baudoz; Anthony Boccaletti; Marcel Carbillet; Julien Charton; Riccardo Claudi; Mark Downing; Christophe Fabron; Philippe Feautrier; Enrico Fedrigo; Thierry Fusco; Jean-Luc Gach; Raffaele Gratton; Thomas Henning; Norbert Hubin; Franco Joos; Markus Kasper; Maud Langlois; Rainer Lenzen; Claire Moutou; Alexey Pavlov; Cyril Petit; Johan Pragt; Patrick Rabou; Florence Rigal; Ronald Roelfsema; Gérard Rousset; Michel Saisse; Hans-Martin Schmid; Eric Stadler; Christian Thalmann; Massimo Turatto; Stéphane Udry; Farrokh Vakili; Rens Waters

doi:10.1117/12.790120

25 July 2008 SPHERE: a planet finder instrument for the VLT

Jean-Luc Beuzit, Markus Feldt, Kjetil Dohlen, David Mouillet, Pascal Puget, Francois Wildi, Lyu Abe, Jacopo Antichi, Andrea Baruffolo, Pierre Baudoz, Anthony Boccaletti, Marcel Carbillet, Julien Charton, Riccardo Claudi, Mark Downing, Christophe Fabron, Philippe Feautrier, Enrico Fedrigo, Thierry Fusco, Jean-Luc Gach, Raffaele Gratton, Thomas Henning, Norbert Hubin, Franco Joos, Markus Kasper, Maud Langlois, Rainer Lenzen, Claire Moutou, Alexey Pavlov, Cyril Petit, Johan Pragt, Patrick Rabou, Florence Rigal, Ronald Roelfsema, Gérard Rousset, Michel Saisse, Hans-Martin Schmid, Eric Stadler, Christian Thalmann, Massimo Turatto, Stéphane Udry, Farrokh Vakili, Rens Waters

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7014, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy II; 701418 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.790120
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2008, Marseille, France

Abstract

Direct detection and spectral characterization of extra-solar planets is one of the most exciting but also one of the most challenging areas in modern astronomy. The challenge consists in the very large contrast between the host star and the planet, larger than 12.5 magnitudes at very small angular separations, typically inside the seeing halo. The whole design of a "Planet Finder" instrument is therefore optimized towards reaching the highest contrast in a limited field of view and at short distances from the central star. Both evolved and young planetary systems can be detected, respectively through their reflected light and through the intrinsic planet emission. We present the science objectives, conceptual design and expected performance of the SPHERE instrument.

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Jean-Luc Beuzit, Markus Feldt, Kjetil Dohlen, David Mouillet, Pascal Puget, Francois Wildi, Lyu Abe, Jacopo Antichi, Andrea Baruffolo, Pierre Baudoz, Anthony Boccaletti, Marcel Carbillet, Julien Charton, Riccardo Claudi, Mark Downing, Christophe Fabron, Philippe Feautrier, Enrico Fedrigo, Thierry Fusco, Jean-Luc Gach, Raffaele Gratton, Thomas Henning, Norbert Hubin, Franco Joos, Markus Kasper, Maud Langlois, Rainer Lenzen, Claire Moutou, Alexey Pavlov, Cyril Petit, Johan Pragt, Patrick Rabou, Florence Rigal, Ronald Roelfsema, Gérard Rousset, Michel Saisse, Hans-Martin Schmid, Eric Stadler, Christian Thalmann, Massimo Turatto, Stéphane Udry, Farrokh Vakili, and Rens Waters "SPHERE: a planet finder instrument for the VLT", Proc. SPIE 7014, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy II, 701418 (25 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.790120

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