active optics

noun

1. a system to compensate for any deformation caused by gravity in the surface accuracy and alignment of the mirrors of an astronomical telescope by means of actuators that control the movable mirror supports

Example Sentences

The high reflectivity and speed of this allow the telescope to capture a lot of light which Guillem Megias, an active optics expert at the observatory, says is "really important" to observe things from "really far away which, in astronomy, means they come from earlier times".

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Engineers still need to complete tasks such as integrating software, fine-tuning the active optics, and installing the first science instrument, a high-quality imaging camera.

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The best example of a shape-changing "active optics" mirror is the one in the European Southern Observatory's New Technology Telescope in La Silla, Chile.

Read more on Time Magazine Archive