Come-On: An Adaptive Optics Prototype Dedicated To Infrared Astronomy

The paper presents the status of the COME-ON (CGE Observatoire de Meudon ESO ONERA) experiment. This instrument, developed and tested by several European laboratories, is an adaptive optical system with a 19 actuators deformable mirror and a Hartmann Shack type wavefront sensor. The wavefront sensing is performed at visible wavelengths; a special computer drives the deformable mirror which should achieve diffraction limited infrared imagery with large optical telescope. The different components and their individual characteristics are described. The results of the tests of some components are given: 19 actuators deformable mirror, tip-tilt mirror. The expected performances are summarized and possible applications of the instrument to astronomical sources are presented. The isoplanaticity aspect, the required temporal bandwidth and reference source brightness is discussed. The conclusions of the experiment will be used for the design of adaptive optics for the ESO Very Large Telescope.