Astronomy Stack Exchange
Astronomy Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [adaptive-optics]

Questions about the technology to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of rapidly changing optical distortions.

Adaptive optics is a technology to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of rapidly changing optical distortions. It is commonly used on astronomical telescopes to remove the effects of atmospheric distortion, or astronomical seeing.

Adaptive optical works by measuring the distortion and rapidly compensating for it either using deformable mirrors or material with variable refractive properties.

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Are digital adaptive optics possible?

Adaptive optics generally apply slight changes to mirrors to account for atmospheric turbulence. These generally require either a mirror to be broken up into smaller mirrors, each with their own actuator, or for a single large mirror to be slightly…
speedplane
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How do they keep lights from guided lasers in adaptive optics from interfering with the image?

From amateur searching of the info, I can find no mention of the configuration of the lasers when they work. From these pictures, I imagine that those 4 lasers are just outside of the 4 corners of the telescope field of view. Since the lasers leave…
longtry
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Adaptive Optics Shack-Hartmann Sensor and Deformable Mirror

I have a technical question regarding the Shack-Hartmann sensor in deformable mirrors. What algorithm is used to take the Shack-Hartmann measurements of local tilt and turn them into a full phase estimate that can be passed to the deformable…
Steve
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How difficult is adaptive optics computationally?

What kind of computer do you need to do adaptive optics of big telescopes? Are we talking supercomputer clusters or can my desktop do it, or my smartphone? I suppose it depends on the size of the telescope and the wavelength that is targeted. I'm…
JanKanis
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When using adaptive optics, what is the shortest timescale of atmospheric changes in refractive index that astronomers have to deal with?

I am interested in the astronomer's need for speed in wavefront correction, especially when measuring in NIR and visible domain. What is the fastest abberation coming from atmospheric turbulence in any measurement setting (sun observation during…
Damian
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