2007A&A...461..665G

We have carried out a direct and differential imaging search for sub-stellar companions to ε Indi A using the adaptive optics system NACO at the ESO VLT. The observations were carried out in September 2004 with NACO/SDI as well as with NACO's S27 camera in the H and K_s filters. The SDI data cover an area of ∼2.8" around ε Indi A. No detection was achieved in the inner neighbourhood down to 53M_J (5σ confidence level) at a separation ≥0.4"(1.45AU) and down to 21M_J for separations ≥1.3" (4.7AU). To cover a wider field of view, observations with the S27 camera and a coronagraphic mask were obtained. We detected a faint source at a separation of (7.3±0.1)"and a position angle of (302.9±0.8)°. The photometry for the candidate companion yields m_H=(16.45±0.04)mag and m_Ks=(15.41±0.06)mag, respectively. Those magnitudes and the resulting color (H-K_s)=(1.04±0.07)mag fit best to a spectral type of L5-L9.5 if it is bound. Observations done with HST/NICMOS by M. Endl have shown the source to be a background object.