The LINC-NIRVANA Pathfinder¹ (LN-PF), a ground-layer adaptive optics (AO) system recently commissioned at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), is one of 4 sensors that provide AO corrected images to the full LINC-NIRVANA instrument. With first light having taken place on November 17, 2013,^{2, 3} the core goals for the LN-PF have been accomplished. In this report, we look forward to one of the LN-PF extended goals. In particular, we review the acquisition mechanism required to place each of several star probes on its corresponding star in the target asterism. For emerging AO systems in general, co-addition of light from multiple stars stands as one of several methods being pursued to boost sky coverage. With 12 probes patrolling a large field of view (an annulus 6-arcminutes in diameter), the LN-PF will provide a valuable testbed to verify this method.

Date Published: 6 August 2014
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 9149, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems V, 91491O (6 August 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2055648

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9149:
Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems V
Alison B. Peck; Chris R. Benn; Robert L. Seaman, Editor(s)