The Big Fringe Telescope (BFT) is a groundbreaking facility concept aimed at revolutionizing optical interferometry. Current facilities like CHARA and VLTI have produced impressive scientific results, but have not explored routine imaging of bright main sequence stars. The BFT aims to change this by using modern, automated technologies to reduce costs and improve performance. By focusing on extreme angular resolution for bright objects, the BFT will allow for regular ‘snapshot’ imaging of main sequence stars. This innovative approach is expected to lower construction and maintenance costs, making kilometer-scale optical interferometry more accessible.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.01386