Caltech Astronomy

Caltech Optical Observatories

Optical/Infrared Instrumentation

Laser projecting from Hale telescope
Chicago Sum Frequency Laser
Hale telescope control room
Laser in the moonlight
Photos: A. Pickles, S. Kardel


Palomar Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics

The Palomar Laser Guide Star (LGS) project is a collaboration between Caltech, the University of Chicago, and the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab. The instrument combines the Palomar adaptive optics system (PALAO) developed by JPL with an innovative solid-state laser built by Ed Kibblewhite at U. Chicago, extending near infrared diffraction-limited imaging and spectroscopy with the 200-inch Hale telescope to over 30% of the accessible sky.

The Palomar LGS system is currently available for shared-risk science.

08B Shared-risk Observing Engineering documents

52% Strehl LGS-corrected Image
52% K Strehl LGS PSF
(8/14/08 UT)
Team Members:
Caltech JPL U. Chicago
Antonin Bouchez (lead) John Angione Ed Kibblewhite
John Cromer Rick Burruss
Richard Dekany Stephen Guiwitz
John Henning Jennifer Roberts (lead)
Anna Moore Chris Shelton
Hal Petrie Mitchell Troy
Renu Tripathi Tuan Truong
Viswa Velur


For more information please contact abouchez@astro.caltech.edu.