A New Adaptive Optics Educational Module

Physics – Optics

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

Adaptive optics (AO) is an extremely important development in ground-based astronomy. AO is a collection of technologies to quantify the distortion introduced by Earth's atmosphere and use high speed computing and a flexible mirror to correct for these distortions yielding a diffraction-limited image.
We have used image formation activities from our successful Hands-On Optics (HOO) program as a starting point for a module of activities for high school students on adaptive optics. We will outline the activities in our module that illustrate the concepts of AO. We start with activities on how images are formed by lenses and mirrors. Students then see how Earth's atmosphere can distort images. Students learn how to do a low level correction for atmospheric distortion using a tip-tilt mirror. We show the students a unique demonstration of a Shack-Hartmann sensor to illustrate how we measure atmospheric distortion. The module concludes with students using a flexible mylar mirror to achieve focus of light that has been "distorted” by passing through an atmosphere.
These activities were developed in conjunction with the Education program for the Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT).

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