# First images on the sky from a hyper telescope

E. Pedretti, A. Labeyrie, L. Arnold, N. Thureau, O. Lardiere, A. Boccaletti, P. Riaud

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### Abstract

We show star images obtained with a miniature densified pupil imaging interferometer'' also called a hyper-telescope. The formation of such images violates a golden rule of imaging interferometers'' which appeared to forbid the use of interferometric arrangements differing from a Fizeau interferometer. These produce useless images when the sub-apertures spacing is much wider than their size, owing to diffraction through the sub-apertures. The hyper-telescope arrangement solves these problems opening the way towards multi-kilometer imaging arrays in space. We experimentally obtain an intensity gain of $$24\pm 3\times$$ when a densified-pupil interferometer is compared to an equivalent Fizeau-type interferometer and show images of the double star $$\alpha$$ Gem. The initial results presented confirm the possibility of directly obtaining high resolution and high dynamic range images in the recombined focal plane of a large interferometer if enough elements are used.
Original language English 285-290 6 Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series 147 2 https://doi.org/10.1051/aas:2000302 Published - 1 Dec 2000

### Keywords

• INTERFEROMETERS, DOUBLE STAR IMAGES, LABORATORY IMAGES, PUPIL DENSIFICATION

• ## Cite this

Pedretti, E., Labeyrie, A., Arnold, L., Thureau, N., Lardiere, O., Boccaletti, A., & Riaud, P. (2000). First images on the sky from a hyper telescope. Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 147(2), 285-290. https://doi.org/10.1051/aas:2000302