9220504 Thompson A laser guided adaptive optics system will be installed at the Mt. Wilson 2.5-meter (100-inch) telescope. In its final configuration, this system will allow the telescope to work at an angular resolution close to the telescope's diffraction limit for all wavelengths between 500nm and 3 micros (resolution = 0.050 arcsec at 500nm). One unique feature of the optical system will be its ability to simultaneously image at both visual and IR wavelenghts. Another unique feature will be its use of the "conjugate adaptive optics" concept in which two adaptive mirrors will be operated in series, each mirror being placed at a point in the optical system that is conjugate to a strongly turbulent layer in the atmosphere. The adaptive optics system will be built from components similar to (and for some components, identical with) working adaptive optics systems developed by Thermo-Trex Corp. for use by the U.S. military. The laser guide star system will be based on an excimer laser already available and tested at Mt. Laguna Observatory. ***
