High angular resolution observations of late-type stars

This paper presents speckle observations of Mira (o Cet) and late-type stars with the PISCO speckle camera of Pic du Midi during the period 1995-1998. A survey for binarity among a sample of late-type stars was performed, which led to seven positive detections out of 36 objects. Photometric and color variations of the companion of Mira were searched for, but no significant brightness variations could be found over a time-scale of similar to5-10 minutes. The position and photometry measurements, the restored images with high angular resolution of the binary system Mira A-B (ADS 1778) are in full agreement with Hubble Space Telescope data obtained at the same epoch. A new orbit has been derived for Mira A-B.