Astronomical Instrumentation and Technology

Areas: Astrophysics

Credit: NOVA/METIS/MAORY/MICADO/HARMONI

EELT and MAORY (https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/elt/elt-instr/maory/) - MAORY is a new adaptive optics module for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT-ESO, 39m) based on Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO), designed to help compensate for distortions caused by turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere. MAORY is designed to provide stable and sharp images across a large field of view in the near-infrared (wavelengths from 0.8–2.4µm) in order to allow scientists to make very precise measurements of the positions, brightness, and motions of stars. A configuration of six sodium laser guide stars, arranged in a circle on the sky will provide a mapping of the different layers of turbulence high above the telescope. The resulting wavefront distortion will be computed in real time (2 msec) and compensated by two deformable mirrors. This technique has been successfully demonstrated on-sky. The OAS clean room now is being adapted to host the construction of the instrument. The construction is expected to be completed by 2024.

Loiano telescopes (http://davide2.bo.astro.it/loiano/) - Maintenance and updating of the Loiano telescopes are shared with INAF-OAS. Science and outreach activities are currently run at the telescopes.

Euclid mission - E. Rossetti is responsible of developing the RESS algorithm within OU-SPE aiming at the optimization of the redshift measurements for the Euclid NISP spectroscopic instrument data.

DIFA staff members

Giuseppe Cosentino

Area dei Funzionari - Settore scientifico - tecnologico

Bruno Marano

Emeritus Professor

Adjunct professor

Emanuel Rossetti