Laird Thompson

UIUC

Colloquium Title:   Laser Guide Stars in Astronomy

Abstract:  

Laser guide star technology is a fundamental tool that will be used to 
push the largest adaptively corrected telescopes to their diffraction 
limit.  UnISIS (University of Illinois Seeing Improvement System) is a 
test-bed at the Mt. Wilson 2.5-m telescope where lessons are being 
learned and students are being trained in laser guided adaptive optics.  
I will briefly summarize the fundamental concepts behind the use of 
laser guide stars, compare the advantages and disadvantages of 
Rayleigh and Sodium-resonance-line systems, and tell some of the 
successes and foibles of this young technology.