Protostars and Planets VI, Heidelberg, July 15-20, 2013

Poster 2B006

Early Visible Adaptive Optics Science Results from MagAO’s VisAO Camera in Simultaneous Differential Imaging (SDI) Mode: Disks and Point Sources

Follette, Kate (University of Arizona)
Close, Laird (University of Arizona)
Wu, Ya-Lin (University of Arizona)
Males, Jared (University of Arizona)
Morzinski, Katie (University of Arizona)
Kopon, Derek (MPIA)

Abstract:
We report on early science results from the newly-commissioned Magellan AO (MagAO) system’s VisAO camera in Simultaneous Differential Imaging (SDI) mode. The MagAO Adaptive Secondary Mirror’s high actuator pitch allow us to achieve AO correction into the visible wavelength regime, and VisAO is the first visible light science camera behind a large (d>6m) telescope AO system. This opens up an interesting new region of parameter space to high contrast, high spatial resolution science. As a natural guide star system, MagAO is optimized for circumstellar science, including both point source detection and high resolution imaging of circumstellar disks. Early SDI science results include the first circumstellar disk imaged in silhouette from the ground, high-resolution images of a binary propylid in Orion and high contrast images of an accreting point source at small separation.

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