Sparse aperture masking with SPHERE

Sparse Aperture Masking (SAM) has recently been commissioned on SPHERE, the VLTs new adaptive optics high resolution imager. SAM extends the capabilities of SPHERE by providing high contrast measurements at and beyond the traditional diffraction limit. SAM can be used in conjunction with each of the SPHERE modules (IRDIS, IFS and ZIMPOL), allowing dual band imaging in the visible and near-infrared, near-infrared integral field spectroscopy, and polarized differential imaging in the visible and near-infrared. In this paper we report information relevant for observers as well as some commissioning observations.

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