Ten years of speckle interferometry at SOAR

Abstract

Since 2007, close binary and multiple stars are observed by speckle interferometry at the 4.1 m Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) telescope. The HRCam instrument, observing strategy and planning, data processing and calibration methods, developed and improved during ten years, are presented here in a concise way. Thousands of binary stars were measured with diffraction-limited resolution (29 mas at 540 nm wavelength) and a high accuracy reaching 1 mas; 200 new pairs or subsystems were discovered. To date, HRCam has performed over 11,000 observations with a high efficiency (up to 300 stars per night). An overview of the main results delivered by this instrument is given.