The goal of the CHara ARray Integrated Optics Testbench (CHARIOT) is to establish a fully characterized (nulling) interferometry setup for on-sky tests of novel astrophotonic 2D or 3D beam combiners for the interferometry community worldwide. CHARIOT is planned for four telescope beams covering the J-, H-, and K-bands with plug-and-play fiber interfaces. Verifying novel astrophotonics on-sky with CHARIOT will enable the development of components and advances in instruments in many fields, including nulling and spectro-interferometry.
The Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array is a six-element interferometer with baselines ranging from 34 to 331m. The Array has had many upgrades in recent years including new beam combiners: MYSTIC is a 6T combiner for K-band; SPICA is a 6T combiner for the visible R-band; and SILMARIL is a 3T combiner for high sensitivity in the H- and K-bands. A seventh, mobile telescope is now on site for use with fiber optics for beam transport. Observing time is available to the community through a program funded by NSF. The observing programs are solicited and peer-reviewed by NSF’s NOIRLab. Here we summarize the scientific work and the on-going technical advances of the CHARA Array.
The CHARA Array has added a 7th telescope to extend the existing 6 telescope array. The CHARA Michelson Array Pathfinder (CMAP) includes a 1m Planewave RC Telescope mounted in a custom designed mobile trailer and pier system. The telescope and trailer can be placed at multiple locations around the Mount Wilson Observatory site; each site consisting of a flat concrete pad with a novel pier design. Optical fibers will connect each site to the CHARA optical delay and combiner lab. This enables new short baselines of ∼17m for imaging the surfaces of large stars and new long baselines on the order of ∼600m for resolving small stars. There are two sites developed at the array for this telescope. In the future, there are plans to expand the array to greater than 1 km maximum baselines. These baselines will be used in conjunction with the existing 15 baselines that range from 34 to 331m. Moving such a telescope around the observatory presents some unique challenges. The telescope can make use of the same optical delay lines and beam combiners as the other CHARA Array telescopes.
The Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array is a six-element interferometer with baselines ranging from 34 to 331 m. Three new beam combiners are entering operation: MYSTIC is a 6-telescope combiner for K-band; SPICA is a 6-telescope combiner for the visible R-band; and SILMARIL is a 3-telescope combiner for high sensitivity in H and K-bands. A seventh, portable telescope will use fiber optics for beam transport and will increase the baselines to 1 km. Observing time is available through a program funded by NSF. The programs are solicited and peer-reviewed by NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory. The open community access has significantly expanded the range of astronomical investigations of stars and their environments. Here we summarize the scientific work and the on-going technical advances of the CHARA Array.
Much research has been done to show the possibilities of using long transport fibers in optical interferometry. The CHARA Michelson Array Pathfinder will extend the spatial coverage of the CHARA Array by adding a mobile 1-meter telescope connected by optical fibers. The pathfinder will operate in H-band and will explore baselines up to approximately 1 km, giving an angular resolution of 0.2 mas. The new telescope will be placed at short baselines to image the surfaces of large stars and at long baselines to resolve small stars. Here we describe the project and our progress on various subsystems.
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