Authors

Reston Nash (1), Dr. Olivier Lardiere (1), Dr. Colin Bradley (1) and Raven Team (1, 2, 3)

Affiliations

(1) University of Victoria ; (2) HIA ; (3) Subaru

Abstract

A Multi-Object-Adaptive-Optics (MOAO) instrument, called Raven, is currently being designed, and will eventually be tested on the Subaru telescope. This instrument uses a series pick-off arms, extended into the telescope’s field of view, to extract three natural guide stars (NGS) and two science targets. Each of these mechanical arms will be required to track their target with high accuracy as it moves during an observation. This slow motion is caused by the uncompensated field rotation and telescope tracking error. Some arms will be required to move in open loop with respect to their target’s position, so the motion system will require careful calibration and control. Preliminary results obtained in the lab with prototypes of the pick-off systems, and other major subsystems like the trombone and science image rotator, will be presented.