| 30 | 30 | || '''20.10.2025''' || '''Jens Helmling (CAHA)''' || '''50 years of technological evolution at the Calar Alto Observatory[[BR]]'''[[BR]]Technology develops incredibly fast. For years, Calar Alto received most of its technology from the MPIA, initially with photoplanes, even in the IR range, then came Retincon, CCDs, IR detectors, and increasingly CMOS. Today, many developments are carried out on site by Calar Alto staff, from new telescope control systems to improvements in efficiency, for example in Carmenes' radial velocity measurements. In this talk, Jens Helmling will take us on a journey of technological evolution along the last 50 years of the observatory.[[BR]][[BR]]Presentation: German[[BR]][https://svn.mpia.de/trac/att/attachment/wiki/WikiStart/CAHA_50.pdf Slides: English][[BR]]Questions: !English/German || |
| 31 | 31 | || '''11.11.2025''' || '''Maria Vincent (University of Hawaii, WM Keck Observatory)''' || '''Entering a new Era of Adaptive Optics with more powerful Deformable Mirrors[[BR]][[BR]]'''Advances in high-contrast imaging of exoplanets and circumstellar disks hinge on increasingly capable adaptive optics. This talk presents a major instrumentation effort on Maunakea to reduce residual wavefront error and improve contrast through two facility adaptive optics upgrades: the Keck II High-Order Advanced Keck Adaptive Optics (HAKA) upgrade and Subaru’s next-generation facility AO (AO3k). Both upgrades center on higher-order ALPAO deformable mirrors with enhanced wavefront sensing and real-time control. In this presentation, laboratory activities are highlighted, particularly test-bench setup, modular lab control software, and results from the site-acceptance testing of the higher-order DM at Keck. Together, these improvements target higher Strehl ratios and deeper raw contrast at small angular separations, enabling sharper direct spectroscopy of older, cooler exoplanets and revealing scattered-light structure in moderately extincted, planet-forming disks. The presentation concludes with selected science outcomes from the upgraded Subaru AO system.[[BR]][[BR]]Presentation: English[[BR]]Slides: English[[BR]]Questions: English || |
