Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics images of the Trapezium Cluster

TL;DR

This paper presents the first scientific results from on-sky Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics imaging of the Trapezium Cluster, revealing new objects and confirming multiple systems, demonstrating MCAO's technical feasibility and scientific potential.

Contribution

First on-sky MCAO images of the Trapezium Cluster, discovering new faint objects and multiple systems, and confirming MCAO's effectiveness for astronomical research.

Findings

Detected 128 sources, including 10 new faint objects.

Confirmed multiplicity of TCC-055.

Discovered a very red embedded protostellar object.

Abstract

Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) combines the advantages of standard adaptive optics, which provides high contrast and high spatial resolution, and of wide field ~1' imaging. Up to recently, MCAO for astronomy was limited to laboratory experiments. In this paper, we present the first scientific results obtained with the first MCAO instrument put on the sky. We present a new study of the Trapezium cluster using deep MCAO images with a field of view of 1'x1' obtained at the VLT. We have used deep J, H and Ks images recently obtained with the prototype MCAO facility MAD at the VLT in order to search for new members and new multiple systems in the Trapezium cluster. On bright targets (Ks~9mag), these images allow us to reach DeltaKs~6mag as close as 0.4" We report the detection of 128 sources, including 10 new faint objects in the magnitude range between 16.1<Ks<17.9mag. In addition to all previously known multiple systems with separations greater than 0.1", we confirm the multiplicity of TCC-055. We also report the detection in J, H and Ks of a very red extended embedded protostellar object, HC419, previously detected in the thermal infrared only. The analysis of the first MCAO images obtained on the sky demonstrates not only the technical feasibility of MCAO but also its great potential and versatility in terms of scientific outputs.