PARSEC: the laser for the VLT
Abstract
8m class telescopes offer an extremely powerful tool for astronomical research. The light collecting power is enormous and with the combination of adaptive optics and laser guide stars astronomy will make a big step forward in knowledge in almost any field. For the creation of artificial laser-based guide stars that make use of the sodium layer in the earth atmosphere, very powerful lasers at 589nm are necessary. We introduce here the PARSEC laser that will be installed at the UT4 telescope of the VLT, in Chile. This laser will emit cw radiation at more then 10W output power and offers a scalability in power for future multi guide star systems.
- Publication:
-
Adaptive Optics Systems and Technology II
- Pub Date:
- February 2002
- DOI:
- 10.1117/12.454807
- Bibcode:
- 2002SPIE.4494..325R