Imaging Spatially Extended Objects with Interferometers: Mosaicking and the Short Spacing Correction

Abstract

Interferometry is a powerful technique for making sensitive, high-fidelity images of the sky, but is limited in its ability to measure extended or diffuse emission. Better images of extended astronomical objects can be obtained by mosaicking together many pointings of the interferometer array. Even better images can be obtained by combining these data with data from a single-dish telescope. This lecture explains commonly practiced techniques for obtaining and analyzing these observations, and the theory behind them.