All Figures

$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8cm,clip]{5966fig1.eps}\end{figure}$ Figure 1: Histogram of the number of NACO images as a function of DIMM seeing (in visible light, with seeing bins of 0.2'').
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In the text

$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig2a.eps}\par\vspace*... ...\par\vspace*{2mm} \includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig2c.eps} \end{figure}$ Figure 2: Number of NACO epochs available for the field around $\alpha$ Cen B in the J ( top), H ( middle), and $K_{\rm s}$ ( bottom) bands. The grey scale ( bottom left) indicates how many epochs were obtained at each position. The thick black line encompasses the domain that was observed at least on two epochs.
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In the text

$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig3.eps} \end{figure}$ Figure 3: Extract of an HST-ACS coronagraphic image of $\alpha$ Cen B showing the bright background star #167 (circled) that was used to transfer the reference astrometric coordinates of $\alpha$ Cen B to the NACO images. The saturated source in the upper left corner is $\alpha$ Cen A.
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In the text

$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=17cm,clip]{5966fig4.eps} \end{figure}$ Figure 4: Mosaic of the observed NACO fields of the environment of $\alpha$ Cen in the $K_{\rm s}$ band. This mosaic is a composite of the filtered versions of the original images, using the ring median filtering described in the text. The apparent ICRS positions on the sky of $\alpha$ Cen A and B, plotted for the 1999-2010 period, include their proper motion, orbital motion, and parallactic apparent displacement. The detected sources are represented as open triangles. The two circular features located to the west of the image are instrumental artefacts.
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In the text

$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig5CMJN.eps} \end{figure}$ Figure 5: Model fitting of the NACO diffuse background in the $K_{\rm s}$ band. The dots represent the individual measurements on the image, scaled to a zero-magnitude star, and the superimposed curves are the fitted models near to (thin curve) and far from (thick curve) the central star.
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In the text

$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig6aCMJN.eps}\par\vsp... ...\vspace*{2mm} \includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig6cCMJN.eps} \end{figure}$ Figure 6: Apparent magnitudes of the detected objects, as a function of their minimum angular separation with $\alpha$ Cen A or B. The solid squares correspond to the median magnitude of the objects detected in the 5-7'', 7-10'', 10-15'', and 15-20'' domains, respectively. The corresponding magnitude is indicated in each case.
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In the text

$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig7cMJN.eps} \end{figure}$ Figure 7: Maximum mass of possible companions to $\alpha$ Cen B within the area explored by NACO imaging (encircled zone in Fig. 2, bottom). The solid curve corresponds to the median magnitude of the detected sources (Fig. 6, bottom) and the dashed line to the faintest detected objects. The dotted curve corresponds to the mass limit obtained by Endl et al. (2001) from radial velocity measurements.
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In the text

$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8cm,clip]{5966fig1.eps}\end{figure}$	Figure 1: Histogram of the number of NACO images as a function of DIMM seeing (in visible light, with seeing bins of 0.2'').
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$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig2a.eps}\par\vspace... ...\par\vspace{2mm} \includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig2c.eps} \end{figure}$	Figure 2: Number of NACO epochs available for the field around $\alpha$ Cen B in the J ( top), H ( middle), and $K_{\rm s}$ ( bottom) bands. The grey scale ( bottom left) indicates how many epochs were obtained at each position. The thick black line encompasses the domain that was observed at least on two epochs.
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$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig3.eps} \end{figure}$	Figure 3: Extract of an HST-ACS coronagraphic image of $\alpha$ Cen B showing the bright background star #167 (circled) that was used to transfer the reference astrometric coordinates of $\alpha$ Cen B to the NACO images. The saturated source in the upper left corner is $\alpha$ Cen A.
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$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig5CMJN.eps} \end{figure}$	Figure 5: Model fitting of the NACO diffuse background in the $K_{\rm s}$ band. The dots represent the individual measurements on the image, scaled to a zero-magnitude star, and the superimposed curves are the fitted models near to (thin curve) and far from (thick curve) the central star.
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$\begin{figure} \par\includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig6aCMJN.eps}\par\vsp... ...\vspace*{2mm} \includegraphics[width=8.4cm,clip]{5966fig6cCMJN.eps} \end{figure}$	Figure 6: Apparent magnitudes of the detected objects, as a function of their minimum angular separation with $\alpha$ Cen A or B. The solid squares correspond to the median magnitude of the objects detected in the 5-7'', 7-10'', 10-15'', and 15-20'' domains, respectively. The corresponding magnitude is indicated in each case.
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