First results from the UCSC Laboratory for Adaptive Optics multi-conjugate and multi-object adaptive optics testbed

We present first results from the Multi-Conjugate and Multi-Object Adaptive Optics (MCAO and MOAO) testbed, at the UCO/Lick Laboratory for Adaptive Optics (LAO) facility at U.C. Santa Cruz. This testbed is constructed to simulate a 30-m telescope executing MCAO and/or open loop MOAO atmospheric compensation and imaging over 5 arcminutes. It is capable of performing Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing on up to 8 natural or laser guide stars and 2-3 additional tip/tilt stars. In this paper, we demonstrate improved on-axis correction relative to ground layer adaptive optics (~ 15% Strehl relative to ~ 12%) with a simulated 28-m aperture at a D/r 0 corresponding to a science wavelength of 2.6 microns using three laser guide stars on a simulated 41 arcsec radius with a central science object and one deformable mirror at the ground layer.