Feb 8, 2006 - Adaptive Optics

Galaxy Structures, ground layered optics and new instrumentation developments - Dr. David Andersen, NRC-HIA

David presented an overview of astronomical adaptive optics and the new exciting astronomy that will result from this developing technology. He updated the Society on the on-going adaptive optics program at HIA including the new Laser Guide Star installed at Gemini last summer and the extreme adaptive optics instrument being developed for Gemini. Special attention was given to astronomical adaptive optics instruments being developed for the Thirty Meter Telescope.

Feb 8, 2006 - Adaptive Optics presentation (html format)
Feb 8, 2006 - Adaptive Optics presentation (8.8Mb PowerPoint Show pps format)

David Andersen received his PhD in Astronomy & Astrophysics from Penn State University in 2001. He was a co-Principal Investigator of SparsePak, an integral field unit, commissioned on the 3.5m WIYN telescope in 2001. From Penn State, David joined the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany as an instrument scientist for LINC-NIRVANA, an interferometric camera employing adaptive optics which is being built for the twin 8m Large Binocular Telescope. In 2004, David joined the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics as a research associate. He has contributed to several of the instrumentation studies at HIA; he served as instrument scientist for the Ground Layer Adaptive system feasibility study for the 8m Gemini telescope, is contributing to the facility Adaptive Optics system design study and is managing a Multi-Object Adaptive Optics system feasibility study for the 30m TMT telescope.