{"product_id":"sbig-ao-8a-adaptive-optics","title":"SBIG AO-8A Adaptive Optics","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe SBIG AO-8A improves image quality through rapid, precise guiding corrections.  It can correct star motion 10 times per second, which can mitigate slow seeing as well as wind gusts, tracking errors, and other guiding issues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAO-8A works with STC and Aluma CCD cameras in conjunction with the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/products\/sbig-starchaser-sc-4-off-axis-guider-camera\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eStarChaser SC-4C\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eautoguider.  It can also work with our legacy cameras with FW8G-Aluma or FW8G-STT self-guided filter wheels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eWhen using\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/products\/sbig-starchaser-sc-4-off-axis-guider-camera\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eStarChaser SC-4C\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003ewith AO, you will need a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/products\/starchaser-aluma-ccd-stc-to-db9-adapter-cables\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eStarChaser to AO-X\/AO-8T Adapter Cable.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAO Results\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe images below are actual star images showing the effect of image wander corrected at 1 Hz and 10 Hz:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1834 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ao_mov_1hz.gif\" alt=\"ao_mov_1hz\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\"\u003e1 Hz Corrections\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1825 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ao_mov_10hz.gif\" alt=\"ao_mov_10hz\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\"\u003e10 Hz Corrections\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the resulting size of the star image in a long exposure:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/aox-1hz-corrected-250x250.png\" alt=\"aox-1hz-corrected\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\"\u003e1 Hz Corrections\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/aox-10hz-corrected-250x250.png\" alt=\"aox-10hz-corrected\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\"\u003e10 Hz Corrections\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther data gathered by Brad Wallis of JPL (Brad Wallis and Benoit Schillings developed the prototype for the original AO-7) show the the effect of rapid corrections on poor seeing.  At 1 Hz the larger, slower component is reduced, but the amplitude of the jitter remains about the same:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1832 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ao_1hz.gif\" alt=\"ao_1hz\" width=\"959\" height=\"719\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, at a 5Hz correction rate, the faster jitter is reduced:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1831 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ao_5hz.gif\" alt=\"ao_5hz\" width=\"959\" height=\"719\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd at a 10 Hz correction rate, significant improvement is seen:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1830 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ao_10hz.gif\" alt=\"ao_10hz\" width=\"959\" height=\"719\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe improvement in stellar profiles can also be seen at corrections above 1 Hz.  First by looking at the non-AO guided image:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1829 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/aox_img2.jpg\" alt=\"aox_img2\" width=\"687\" height=\"680\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd comparing the non-AO guided image to the AO guided image there is again significant improvement in the FWHM of the star profile:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1828 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/diffractionlimited.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ao_img2.jpg\" alt=\"ao_img2\" width=\"720\" height=\"568\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTelescope mounts cannot correct faster than about once per second.  The 10Hz rate of the AO will clearly result in improved resolution under the right conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DIFFRACTION","offers":[{"title":"ALUMA CCD\/STF SERIES","offer_id":44013932642415,"sku":"AO-8T","price":1348.65,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"STT SERIES","offer_id":44013932675183,"sku":"AO-8T","price":1348.65,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ST-7 SERIES","offer_id":44013932707951,"sku":"AO-8T","price":1348.65,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/0049\/6239\/files\/Diffraction-AO-8A-.003-600x600__52590.jpg?v=1766567132","url":"https:\/\/ontariotelescope.com\/products\/sbig-ao-8a-adaptive-optics","provider":"Ontario Telescope and Accessories","version":"1.0","type":"link"}