Stellar Diameters: Breaking the Barriers

Summary

The first ideas on the use of interferometry and lunar occultations to measure angular diameters were proposed about one century ago, the first observations were attempted about seventy-five years ago, and the mass production of angular diameters came to reality about 25 years ago. Since then, this kind of measurements has been considered a well-established, even slightly boring, astronomical knowledge. But exactly, how many angular diameters do we know? How well do we know them? For which stars, and with which implications? Will we break the milliarcsecond barrier soon? Last but not least, are angular diameters really interesting? These are some of the questions that I address in my presentation.