Figure 1 VINCI observations of the pulsation of L Car, of period 35.5 days. The points are the interferometric measurements, and the curve is the fit derived from the time integration of radial velocity along the cycle.
Click on the image to enlarge it
Figure 2 The mean size of the observed Mira stars and their surrounding molecular layer is compared to the size of the inner Solar System. The Earth’s, Mars’ and Jupiter’s orbits are shown, as well as the Sun’s position. The picture illustrates that when the Sun becomes a Mira-type star in about 5 billion years, it will nearly reach Mars’ orbit and its surrounding molecular layer will extend far beyond Mars. Click on the image to enlarge it [en]Figure 2 Field of view of the instrument MIDI projected on the sky. The image in the background has been obtained by adaptive optics at 2,2 microns. The width of the slit of MIDI is 1 arc second. Click on the image to enlarge it
References
- VLTI watches the pulsation of four southern Cepheids
- Foreseeing the Sun’s fate: Astronomical interferometry reveals the close environment of Mira stars
- First observation of an active galactic nucleus with the VLTI: resolution of the torus at the heart of NGC 1068
Last update on 21 December 2021