Adaptive Optics in Astronomy Laird Close University of Arizona

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: 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 Close Source: Gemini, NSF,& Aura

Speaker: Laird Close Source: Buzz Graves; AOptix Gemini/Hokupa’a UH AO System

Speaker: Laird Close Source: Graves et al; Close et al (University of Arizona) Astronomical Adaptive Optics Science

Speaker: Laird Close Source: Sharmer et al Swedish AO Solar Telescope

Speaker: Laird Close Source: Merline et al; Graves et al Binary Asteroids

Speaker: Laird Close Source:Marchise et al;Keck AO Jupiter’s Moon Io

Keck Adaptive Optics Speaker: Laird Close Source: Ghez et al

Planets Around Other Stars Speaker: Laird Close Source: Liu et al, Close et al (University of Arizona)

The Future: Direct Imaging of Planets Around Other Stars Speaker: Laird Close Source: Close et al (University of Arizona), Lenzen et al

The Future: Adaptive Secondaries Speaker: Laird Close Source: Wildi et al, Biller;RV Boo