SHARK-VIS

Overview

SHARK-VIS is the new visible-band (400-900 nm) high-contrast and coronagraphic instrument of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT).  Mounted on the 8.2m DX telescope of LBT and fed by the refurbished LBT extreme Adaptive Optics system SOUL, it provides unprecedented high-angular-resolution and high-contrast capabilities in the visible band, delivering quasi diffraction-limited images with angular resolutions of the order of 20 milliarcsec. SHARK-VIS will work in synergy with its near-infrared counterpart SHARK-NIR at LBT, to investigate many scientific cases at the forefront of the current astrophysical research. 

SHARK-VIS is a PI-instrument designed and built at INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma. 

SHARK-VIS in a nutshell

• Wavelength coverage: 400-900 nm 

• Field of View:  (maximum) 10"x10"

• Angular resolution: 16 mas in the R band

• Pixel scale: 6.5 mas/pixel

• Observing modes: broad-band and narrow-band imaging, spectral differential imaging (SDI) in Hα, coronagraphy

• Filters: B, V, R, I, Hα, Cnt_Hα, [OI], [SII], [OIII]

• Coronagraphs: Lyot (IWA 50, 100, 200 mas)

• Cadence: 1kHz on 1".2 field of view, 260 Hz on 5'', and 65 Hz on 10''.

A detailed description of the instrument and its components is presented in the instrument pages.

Science Cases

SHARK-VIS will be able to investigate many science cases at the forefront of current astrophysical research. These cases are briefly presented in the science page and include: 

• Direct imaging of forming exoplanets

• Planet-forming and debris disks 

• Jets from young stellar objects

• Volcanic activity on Io

• Characterization of minor bodies of the Solar System

• Envelopes around evolved stars

• Close binary systems

• Feeding and feedback mechanism of AGNs

Team

SHARK-VIS has been designed, developed, and built by the ADONI (ADaptive Optics National Italian laboratory) group of the INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, which is led by the instrument P.I. Fernando Pedichini.

Publications

Several papers have already been published based on the preparatory work for SHARK-VIS and on the observations carried out with its precursor instrument, the Forerunner.