Status and new operation modes of the versatile VLT/NACO

TL;DR

This paper provides an update on the versatile VLT/NACO instrument, highlighting new operation modes and improvements that enhance its astronomical capabilities despite nearing the end of its operational life.

Contribution

It introduces new operational modes and recent upgrades to NACO, demonstrating its evolving functionality and continued relevance for astronomical research.

Findings

Installation of a new visible wavefront sensor for LGS operations

Introduction of cube mode for frame selection on bright sources

Implementation of a seeing enhancer mode for full sky coverage

Abstract

This paper aims at giving an update on the most versatile adaptive optics fed instrument to date, the well known and successful NACO . Although NACO is only scheduled for about two more years at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), it keeps on evolving with additional operation modes bringing original astronomical results. The high contrast imaging community uses it creatively as a test-bench for SPHERE and other second generation planet imagers. A new visible wavefront sensor (WFS) optimized for Laser Guide Star (LGS) operations has been installed and tested, the cube mode is more and more requested for frame selection on bright sources, a seeing enhancer mode (no tip/tilt correction) is now offered to provide full sky coverage and welcome all kind of extragalactic applications, etc. The Instrument Operations Team (IOT) and Paranal engineers are currently working hard at maintaining the instrument overall performances but also at improving them and offering new capabilities, providing the community with a well tuned and original instrument for the remaining time it is being used. The present contribution delivers a non-exhaustive overview of the new modes and experiments that have been carried out in the past months.