Poster abstract
First results from the VISTA Science Verification mini-survey in Orion
Abstract
ESO has recently put into operations the world's currently largest near-infrared survey instrument $-$ VISTA. Prior to VISTA's start, a
wide-field imaging survey in the Orion star-forming region, encompassing
a 30 square degree area centered on the Orion Belt stars were carried out, as
part of the VISTA Science Verification Programme. The observations mapped
young stars and brown dwarfs in various environments and at different stages of their evolution, from embedded $\lesssim$1\,Myr old populations
to $\sim$10Myr old stars in the wide-spread OB-association Ori OB1a.
Approximately 3 million sources, including several hundred brown-dwarf candidates, have been detected in 5 broad-band imaging filters (YZJHKs) down to an unprecedented typical limiting magnitude of, e.g. Ks$\approx$18.8mag, J$\approx$20.6mag, Y$\approx$21.3mag.
In this contribution I will outline the characteristics of the VISTA-Orion survey, and highlight examples of the numerous scientific applications facilitated by our survey. Such will include the search for young very low-mass stars and brown-dwarfs, the study of variations in the substellar IMF, the photometric selection of candidate T-dwarfs, and the identification of near-infrared scattered light signatures from embedded protostars.
wide-field imaging survey in the Orion star-forming region, encompassing
a 30 square degree area centered on the Orion Belt stars were carried out, as
part of the VISTA Science Verification Programme. The observations mapped
young stars and brown dwarfs in various environments and at different stages of their evolution, from embedded $\lesssim$1\,Myr old populations
to $\sim$10Myr old stars in the wide-spread OB-association Ori OB1a.
Approximately 3 million sources, including several hundred brown-dwarf candidates, have been detected in 5 broad-band imaging filters (YZJHKs) down to an unprecedented typical limiting magnitude of, e.g. Ks$\approx$18.8mag, J$\approx$20.6mag, Y$\approx$21.3mag.
In this contribution I will outline the characteristics of the VISTA-Orion survey, and highlight examples of the numerous scientific applications facilitated by our survey. Such will include the search for young very low-mass stars and brown-dwarfs, the study of variations in the substellar IMF, the photometric selection of candidate T-dwarfs, and the identification of near-infrared scattered light signatures from embedded protostars.