Skip Navigation
CfAO > Picture Gallery ||First Triple Asteroid System | Keck images of Io | Keck images of Neptune | Images of the Human Retina | Retina Layers | Stellar Images with and without AO | Lick Observatory AO System | Galactic Center Observations | The CfAO Logo

AO at Lick Observatory

[Shane Telescope with AO system attached]
(click for larger version)

The Lick Observatory Adaptive Optics System mounted at the Cassegrain focus of the 120" Shane Telescope.

[closup of Shane Telescope AO system]
(click for larger version)

LLNL Engineer Don Gavel next to the Adaptive Optics optical bench. The blue box to the right of the bench is the IRCAL near infra-red camera. This system is mouted at the Cassegrain focus of the Shane 120" as shown above.

[laser shooting out of Shane Dome]
(click for larger version)

The Sodium Laser emerging from the dome of the 120" Shane Telescope at the Lick Observatory. The laser is used to create an artificial guide star for the adaptive optics system using excitation of the sodium layer at an altitude of approximately 90 km. It is mounted on the side of the telescope.

[Shane Telescope laser as seen from inside dome]
(click for larger version)



The Sodium laser launching from the side of the Lick Observatory 120" Shane Telescope. This is a 10 minute time exposure - note the star trails.

Jump to navigation
Graphical Version

Center for Adaptive Optics