Astronomical Adaptive Optics at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics

Astronomical Adaptive Optics (AO) technology enables real time diffraction-limited imaging and spectroscopy with high sensitivity from ground-based telescopes. It is achieved by using corrective optical elements in the path of the light beam before the final image is formed. The Indian Institute of Astrophysics is deliberating on building new large solar and stellar telescopes, namely the National Large Solar Telescope (NLST) and the National Large Optical Telescope (NLOT) equipped with AO. In view of this, an AO program has been initiated at IIA, with the primary objective of generating expertise in the field of astronomical adaptive optics by developing and demonstrating AO systems in existing small telescopes. In this paper, we start with an overview of astronomical adaptive optics and elaborate on the AO related activities carried out at IIA.