• Scientific Goals

  • General
  • For Kids
  • For Scientists

• Why 30 m?

• Partnership

• Design

  • General
  • Software
  • Instrumentation
  • Telescope
  • Enclosure

• Adaptive Optics

  General Why AO? How AO Helps The Diffraction Limit

• Timeline

• Proposed Sites

• Related Projects

• Media

• Business Policies

• Contact Us

• Employment

Adaptive Optics

Adaptive Optics:

Adaptive Optics (AO) is a method for removing the blurring and distortion of images caused by turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere. In essence, it is a way to allow Earth-based telescopes to see fainter and farther objects as if the telescopes were observing from space. It may be surprising to know that AO is not a new idea; it was first suggested in the 1950s but has only recently become technologically possible.

To see how much adaptive optics really can improve ground based astronomy, compare the images below. The image on the left is taken with CFHT's adaptive optics while the image on the right is a simulation of a good ground-based observation. The object is a 'starburst galaxy' meaning that it underwent a burst of star formation that appears primarily in the galaxy's sprial arms. This can be seen in the image to the left. To see more pictures like this try CFHT's Adaptive Optics Bonnette Best Pictures Gallery.

To learn more about light and adaptive optics, continue on.

Image Credit: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

Starburst galaxy NGC7469
Left: imaged with AO. Right: without AO

©