Taking Super Sharp Astronomical Images with Adaptive Optics | ESO

Taking Super Sharp Astronomical Images with Adaptive Optics | ESO

Turbulence in our atmosphere blurs images of the cosmos, but astronomers have a trick up their sleeve: adaptive optics. Using powerful lasers and fast deformable mirrors we can correct this blurring in real time and obtain extremely sharp astronomical images. In this episode of Chasing Starlight, we show you how this amazing technology works and how it is implemented in our telescopes.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Directed by: L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser
Hosted by: S. Randall 
Written by: H. Huysegoms
Editing: M. Kornmesser, L. Calçada
Videography: A. Tsaousis
Animations & Footage: ESO, E. Garcés, L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser, Nick Risinger, Microgate, P. Weilbacher (AIP), P. Horálek, Roland Bacon, Zdeněk Bardon, C. Malin, M. Zamani, A. de Burgos Sierra, CIMOLAI, S. Petković, E. Garcés, ESA, J. C. Muñoz-Mateos, S. Guisard, Focuslight
Scientific consultant: P.  Amico
Release Date: May 9, 2025

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