Adaptive Optics in Adaptive Optics in AstronomyAstronomy

Laird CloseUniversity of Arizona

The Problem:The Problem:

Speaker: Laird Close

Since Newton’s time it was realized that the mixing of hot and cold air “blurs” starlight passing to the surface of the Earth.

Hence ground-based telescopes, regardless of size, are similarly limited in their ability to make sharp images.

The Solution: The Solution:

Speaker: Laird Close

Use expensive small space-based telescopes like the Hubble space

telescope.

Use cutting-edge opto-mechanical instrumentation to correct (in real

time) distortions caused by the atmospheric blurring. Such “adaptive” correction is known as adaptive optics.

NOTE: Modern 8-10 meter class telescopes equipped with adaptive optics can make images up to 4 times sharper than the 2.4 meter Hubble Space Telescope.

Gemini North Telescope

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Gemini, NSF,& Aura

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Buzz Graves; AOptix

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Graves et al; Close et al (University of Arizona)

Astronomical Adaptive Optics Science

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Sharmer et al

Swedish AO Solar Telescope

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Merline et al; Graves et al

Binary Asteroids

Speaker: Laird CloseSource:Marchise et al;Keck AO

Keck Adaptive Optics

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Ghez et al

Planets Around Other Stars

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Liu et al, Close et al (University of Arizona)

The Future: Direct Imaging of Planets

Around Other Stars

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Close et al (University of Arizona), Lenzen et al

The Future: Adaptive Secondaries

Speaker: Laird CloseSource: Wildi et al, Biller;RV Boo