The fiber-fed spectrograph, a tool to detect planets

Abstract

The use of fibers to feed spectrographs is a very efficient way to increase the precision of radial velocity measurements. It has already proved to be successful with the very first detection by the ELODIE fiber-fed spectrograph of the planet orbiting the star 51 Peg. The basic key properties of fibers in the very high radial velocity precision measurements context are described in this review. The ELODIE spectrograph is used to illustrate the thorium simultaneous calibration technique. The use and the effects of a double-scrambler to increase the stability of the slit illumination are also discussed.