SPECTROGRAPHY AT HIGH-SPATIAL-RESOLUTION

A major newcomer in rite A.O.-assisted astronomical techniques should soon be in operation in various large-and moderate-sized telescopes, b y coupling their A.O. systems to integral field spectrographs. It is a rgued here that this will revolutionize the study of small compact ast ronomical objects, from small bodies in the solar system to distant ga laxies, and including, for example, stellar environments and rite nncl ei of galaxies. This will soon be put to the test, as three such syste ms will be put into operation during the summer of 1997.