The VLT Visitor Focus
One Nasmyth focus on the ESO VLT has been reserved since 2002 for Visitor Instruments (VI) to permit innovative observations by instrument teams using their own stand-alone instruments. VI are free from a substantial fraction of the requirements imposed on the fully automated VLT facility instruments. In addition, VIs could provide a powerful scientific or technical test bench for new instrumental concepts, which may eventually be incorporated later in VLT or other instruments.
Teams that want to propose the use of their VI should follow these instructions.
The technical requirements imposed by ESO on VIs are available here. See also our Gallery. The Visitor focus was originally located on UT3-Melipal; since 2009 it is Nasmyth B on UT1-Antu.
VIs past, present and upcoming::
Instrument |
Date | remarks |
|---|---|---|
| ULTRACAM | May 2005 November 2005 June 2007 |
Ultra-fast Movies of the Sky |
| DAZLE | November 2006 January 2008 |
|
| APE | December 2008, February 2009 | Active Phasing Experiment (APE) for the ELT |