Paranal Instruments Summary Table

Instrument Spectral Coverage Observing Mode Spectral Resolution Multiplex Note Telescope
NACO IR
1-5 µm
imaging, imaging polarimetry, coronography (Angular Groove Phase Mask) in 3.5 to 4.2µm filters, sparse aperture masking (incl. w/polarimetry), Angular Differential Imaging (Pupil Tracking) <1500 no AO with visible and IR wave front sensor; no AO and Cube Mode available
VLT UT1
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; high time resolution imaging; high time resolution modes spectroscopy and multiple object spectroscopy in visitor mode only; 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 or four-quadrant phase mask coronagraphs ~30, 50, 400 no extreme AO with optical wave-front sensor. VLT UT3
VISIR mid-IR: 8 - 21 µm N and Q band imaging; coronography (Angular Groove 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 arcsec in imaging and 0.076 arcsec in spectroscopy VLT UT3
VIMOS optical
360 - 1000 nm
imaging, multi-object spectroscopy, integral field spectroscopy 200-3000 yes IFU size on sky from 13"x13" to 54"x54"; multi-object spectroscopy (MOS) with 4 laser-cut slit masks; Imaging and MOS field of view 4 times 7'x8'. VLT UT3
HAWK-I near-IR 0.85-2.5 µm imaging, fast photometry - - field: 7.5'x7.5', subwindow readout capability; RRM VLT UT4
SINFONI near-IR
1.1 - 2.45 µm
integral field spectroscopy 1500-4000 no AO with natural and laser guide star; no AO; RRM VLT UT4
MUSE


optical

465 - 930 nm

integral field spectroscopy

1770 @ 480nm

3590 @ 930nm

no IFU size on sky 60"x60", spaxel size 0.2"
VLT UT4
AMBER near-IR
1.5 - 2.5 µm
spectro - interferometry R~30, 1500 or 12000 no 3 beam combiner - measures also closure phase; spatial resolution up to 3 mas at 2 μm VLTI - ATs
VLTI - UTs
PIONIER

near-IR

1.65 µm

spectro - interferometry R ~ 5 or 40
no 4 beam combiner - measures visibility and closure phase
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