Paper detail

Considerations for a new low-/moderate-resolution optical facility spectrograph at the VLT Coudé focus

Observing at the VLT Coude focus can boost the collecting area by combining light from multiple VLT unit telescopes (UTs; albeit with some losses in the light train). An instrument at the Coude enjoys significant operational flexibility advantage: it can be attached to any available UT and the "extra" instrument can help to match better the observing constraints with the current conditions. With modifications to the existing train it can even observe in parallel with ESPRESSO with different UTs. Here we consider a general purpose VLT Coude fiber-fed low-resolution facility spectrograph - provisionally named Cappuccino - suitable for rapid follow up and characterization of faint transients, for late-stage monitoring of transients and for rapid classification under poor conditions or during twilight. Like any instrument of its class, Cappuccino can be used to address diverse set of science questions. The building cost can be reduced greatly if it is based - with modest changes - on existing hardware.