mardi 24 juillet 2018, par Prof. Francois Rigaut (Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University)
Mercredi 25 juillet 2018 à 10h30 , Lieu : Bâtiment 12
High-performing deformable secondary mirrors, and powerful, robust sodium lasers guide stars are becoming standard technology on the world’s largest telescopes. This is enabling a new level of reliability, sky coverage, and precision for adaptive optics (AO), with multiple configuration options for different science applications. In particular, wide field, high-strehl AO performance has been demonstrated at infrared wavelengths through the use of Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO). The high actuator density possible with deformable secondary mirrors is also enabling diffraction-limited performance at optical wavelengths, as demonstrated by recent observations at various 8m-class telescopes. MAVIS proposes to combine these two developments, exploiting the full capabilities of the European Southern Observatory’s 4-laser guide star Adaptive Optics Facility, providing near-diffraction limited spatial resolution of an 8m telescope across a relatively large field of view. This Australian-led instrument will provide HST-like (or better) resolution from the ground, but with the light-gathering power of the Very Large Telescope (VLT), making it a powerful complement to future facilities like the space-based JWST and the 30-40m class ground-based telescopes currently under construction. We will present an overview of the foreseen MAVIS technical and scientific capabilities, and describe ways in which you can get involved in developing the science case for this exciting new instrument.
