The Robo-AO-2 facility for rapid visible/near-infrared AO imaging and the demonstration of hybrid techniques

Abstract

We are building a next-generation laser adaptive optics system, Robo-AO-2, for the UH 2.2-m telescope that will deliver robotic, diffraction-limited observations at visible and near-infrared wavelengths in unprecedented numbers. The superior Maunakea observing site, expanded spectral range and rapid response to high-priority events represent a significant advance over the prototype. Robo-AO-2 will include a new reconfigurable natural guide star sensor for exquisite wavefront correction on bright targets and the demonstration of potentially transformative hybrid AO techniques that promise to extend the faintness limit on current and future exoplanet adaptive optics systems. Robo-AO-2As discussed in the Astro-2010 Decadal survey [1], large area surveys will dominate the next decade of astronomy. Transient surveys such as LSST and space-based exoplanet, supernova, and lensing surveys such as TESS and WFIRST will join the Gaia all-sky astrometric survey in producing a flood of potential discoveries. The NRC's "Optimizing the U.S. Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy System" [2] stresses the need to characterize these discoveries through several recommendations: Rec#4c) rapid observations of faint transients; Rec#6) continued investment in critical instrument technologies such as adaptive optics; Rec#7) use existing instrument and research programs to support training to build instruments. Additionally, the 2008 U. S. Adaptive Optics Roadmap [3], recognizing the llll*baranec@hawaii.edu; 1-808-932-2318; http://high-res.org; http://robo-ao.org limitations of adaptive optics on large apertures, noted among its recommendations that, "Mid-sized telescopes provide compelling opportunities for world-class science in specialized fields not typically accessible on larger telescopes due to limitations imposed by schedule / observing model and in some cases specialized capabilities." Robo-AO-2 will uniquely address these recommendations by combining near-HST resolution across visible and nearinfrared (NIR) wavelengths (λ = 400 -1800 nm), unmatched observing efficiency, and extensive, dedicated time on the UH 2.2-m. We will enable high-acuity, high-sensitivity follow-up observations of several tens of thousands of objects per year. Robo-AO-2 will also respond to target-of-opportunity events within minutes, minimizing the time between discovery and characterization, and will interleave different programs with its intelligent queue. Robo-AO-2 will be permanently mounted on the UH 2.2-m, will be available year round, will add NIR imaging, tip-tilt correction capability to mV~17 and will enable excellent, <110 nm RMS, image quality on bright, mV<9, objects using a stellar wavefront sensor.

A new adaptive secondary mirror for astronomy on the University of Hawaii 2.2-meter telescope

“…The telescope is home to two adaptive optics systems: Robo-AO 6 and soon Robo-AO-2 7 , a Rayleigh laser guide star AO system with both visible and near-infrared science cameras, and `imaka 8 , a ground-layer testbed/demonstrator with 3-5 NGSs and a visible-light CCD imager covering 11×11 arcminute FOV in the center. In addition the telescope has two seeing limited instruments -an integral field visible light spectrograph and a wide-field imager (0.25 °×0.25°).…”

KalAO the swift adaptive optics imager on the 1.2m Euler Swiss telescope in La Silla, Chile

“…The design of the system was inspired on RoboAO 3,4 with the major modification being that KalAO will only operate in natural guide star (NGS) mode.…”